OrthoBuzz readers who’d like to learn more about the Major Extremity Trauma and Rehabilitation Consortium (METRC) are encouraged to check out the recent episode of the OrthoJOE podcast on the consortium’s innovative research work.
Podcast hosts Drs. Mo Bhandari and Marc Swiontkowski are joined by Dr. Matt Schmitz (JBJS Deputy Editor for Social Media; San Antonio Military Medical Center; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Brooke Army Medical Center) and Dr. Patrick Osborn (Brooke Army Medical Center; Baptist Health System).
The Work of METRC
METRC is a large network of health-care facilities conducting multicenter clinical research studies relevant to the treatment, rehabilitation, and outcomes of patients who have sustained traumatic injuries in the military. Clinical evidence from these studies is being applied to improve the lives of injured service members.
In addition, insights gained through this collaborative network are helping to shape the treatment of traumatic injuries more broadly in civilian populations.
OrthoJOE Conversation
On OrthoJOE, the discussion dives into some of the specific areas investigated by METRC, evolving priorities, and lessons from METRC studies that are impacting orthopaedic practice.
Access the OrthoJOE episode: “Major Extremity Trauma and Rehabilitation Consortium (METRC) and War Injury Research”. You can also use the link to find other OrthoJOE episodes and subscribe to the OrthoJOE podcast.
For Further Reading
A wide body of METRC studies have been published to date. Recent work in JBJS includes the following*:
The 12-Month Effects of the Trauma Collaborative Care Intervention: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial
*Dr. Swiontkowski chairs the Data Safety Monitoring Board for METRC but was not involved in the conduct of these studies or in the initial peer-review process for these manuscripts.