CHORD

The AOFAS Committee on Health Outcomes, Registries, and Data (CHORD) empowers AOFAS members to use data to demonstrate the value of clinical care, understand outcomes, and perform high-quality research studies that answer difficult questions.

Database Study Research Requests

CHORD is pleased to announce that the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Registry (OFAR) database is now inviting AOFAS members and affiliated industry partners to submit research proposals to examine the finalized dataset. The dataset include 1,675 unique patients, of which 716 incorporate both preoperative and postoperative Patient-Reported Outcome Measures.

Please review the AOFAS Database Study Request Policies and Procedures and Research Collaboration Policies and Procedures before submitting your request. There is a nonrefundable $200 USD application fee for all research requests. If your application is approved, this fee will cover the first four hours of data analysis. An additional fee of $50/hour USD will be incurred if the data analyst's work exceeds four hours.

Please note that researchers will receive a final data analysis based on the parameters of the request, but the raw data remains the property of the AOFAS and will not be released.

To apply, please complete the online application form with information about your project. Applications will be reviewed and selected on a quarterly basis by members of the AOFAS Research Committee and the CHORD Committee.

CHORD Consortium

What is the CHORD Consortium?

Developed by the AOFAS Committee on Health Outcomes, Registries, and Data (CHORD), the CHORD Consortium helps AOFAS members measure patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in their clinical practice. In turn, interested members can harness the power of the AOFAS membership to address pressing, large-scale research questions.

The Consortium is a network of AOFAS members who commit to only one thing — collecting a standardized set of PROMs from their patients. This can include patients undergoing operative or non-operative treatment, or those with a specific diagnosis of interest.

Who can participate?

AOFAS Active, Candidate, and Active/Candidate-Military Members in the US and Canada are invited to join the CHORD Consortium. If you are not already collecting PROMs, the CHORD Consortium has resources to help you begin.

What is expected of CHORD Consortium members?

Consortium members will be asked to collect specific PROMs that were originally vetted by PROM experts in the AOFAS:

• PROMIS Global Health Short Form (10 items)

• PROMIS Physical Function CAT

• PROMIS Pain Intensity Short Form (3 items)

• PROMIS Pain Interference CAT

• PROMIS Depression CAT

Members of the CHORD Consortium can collect these PROMs using any software method, store it at their own practice site, and have no commitments beyond this initial collection. Funding for any PROMs collection initiative will be entirely assumed by the participating clinical site. Sites may not request funds from AOFAS, but some discounts are available on third-party software.

What is the time commitment?

Consortium members will spend time setting up data collection, collecting data, and attending CHORD Consortium meetings as required (approximately one per quarter). Through these meetings, we will support each other as we embark on this initiative and help those new to collecting PROMs establish best practices.

Why join the CHORD Consortium?

When AOFAS members are collecting the same PROMs, they are empowered to understand how their patients are doing as well as connect and work together with like-minded surgeons to answer the challenging clinical questions facing the foot and ankle specialty. In this collaborative setting, each participant contributes a unique aspect of their practice environment — best practices, clinical volume, statistical know-how, etc. If interested, CHORD Consortium members can work together on retrospective studies, team up to launch prospective studies, and most importantly, improve patient care.

If you have questions or would like to join the CHORD Consortium, please complete the form below or email research@aofas.org.