AOA strategic plans

Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026

AOA pursues its purpose of restoring and advancing the wonder of movement, through four core strategies:

Training and education
Culture, diversity, equity and inclusion
Clinical practice and research
Advocacy and engagement

Download the AOA Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026

The AOA Strategic Plan 2022–2026 was developed over 18 months through consultation and review with members, all AOA board committees, state branches, subspecialty societies, Orthopaedic Women's Link (OWL) and Australian Orthopaedic Registrars' Association (AORA), with the Board approving the plan at the July 2021 Board meeting.

Training and education

Training and education is at the heart of AOA, providing lifelong learning for all members at all stages of their careers and with hundreds of members from across the country provide training pro bono to assist in guiding the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons.

Aims

To continue to provide excellence in training and education.
To continue to progress AOA’s leadership in orthopaedic surgical education.
To foster lifelong learning and professional behaviours.
To ensure that trainers receive the best possible support to deliver the highest quality of education to trainees.
To make available an optimal orthopaedic workforce for the community through improved rural training pathways and by leveraging contemporary technology.
To drive ethical behaviour through increased education in ethics.
To nurture a compassionate and flexible environment that is considerate of physical and mental wellbeing.
To further develop and promote AOA’s global recognition in orthopaedic surgical education.
To continue to strengthen research within Training and Education to support AOA’s national and international recognition.

Culture, diversity, equity and inclusion

A new core strategy of AOA is focused on promoting and strengthening inclusion and diversity within the culture of orthopaedics, working in tandem with the aims of the Diversity Strategic Plan 2018-2023.

Aims

To cultivate belonging within the orthopaedic community
To achieve diverse and inclusive representation on AOA board and leadership roles
To work with relevant organisation to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals
To promote orthopaedic surgery as a career to underrepresented groups
To be world recognised in DEI leadership and best practice that ensures an inclusive community
To encourage flexibility, work-life balance and well-being within the orthopaedic community
To create a culture of psychological safety in orthopaedic training and practice
To promote AOA staff and member cultural competency
To raise awareness of and facilitate ethical decision making and professional conduct through the ongoing practice of AOA's ethical principles.

Clinical practice and research

AOA continues to provide support to members interested in or currently undertaking research. Research efforts also include expanding and optimising the AOA National Joint Replacement Registry’s (AOANJRR) capabilities and strengthening its global reach and influence by expanding data-collection and analysis capability.

Aims

To further develop a community of practice in musculoskeletal evidence-based medicine, learning and continuous quality improvement.
To expand and optimise AOANJRR’s research capability to drive strategic research, and to further strengthen its leadership, global reach and influence.
To enhance the data collection and analysis capability of the AOANJRR and facilitate musculoskeletal research to assist members to measure clinical outcomes.
To utilise musculoskeletal research outcomes to provide leadership in ethical, evidence-based, cost-effective and sustainable orthopaedic practice to continually reduce the burden of musculoskeletal disease.
To strengthen research literacy amongst the membership.
To continue to strengthen clinically relevant research to support AOA’s national and international recognition.
To utilise musculoskeletal research outcomes to provide leadership in ethical, evidence-based, cost-effective and sustainable orthopaedic practice to continually reduce the burden of musculoskeletal disease.

Advocacy and engagement

AOA continues to advocate for members and the needs of patients in ensuring the best quality of care.

Aims

To promote a sustainable workforce in orthopaedics in Australia through balanced practice in general orthopaedics, subspecialisation and academia, and between rural and metropolitan distribution and university positions.
To reinforce collaborative and strong relationships with government, industry, healthcare institutions, medical colleges, specialties, patient groups, universities, the Asia-Pacific region and other stakeholders involved in musculoskeletal health, including ASOS.
To strengthen AOA’s reputation and leadership as the peak professional body for orthopaedic surgery (including subspecialty societies) and musculoskeletal conditions to the community through maintaining its independence.
To advocate for improved universal access to safe, evidence-based, quality patient care.
To continue to drive AOA’s digital transformation and adopt contemporary technology capabilities to deliver improved services to members..

Regional Orthopaedic Surgery Strategy

The provision of specialist orthopaedic services across Australia is not equitable. Most of the services, administration, advocacy and support for surgeons are concentrated in metropolitan centres. Regional orthopaedic services have common themes of difficulty regarding recruitment and retention of highly trained surgeons. It is essential that the quality of surgeon working in regional Australia is equivalent to metropolitan Australia, with equivalent training, experience and assessment.

Download the AOA Regional Orthopaedic Surgery Strategic Plan 2022–2024

This strategic plan is presented to highlight the specific issues faced in regional centres and provide mechanisms to empower regions to improve and build high-quality surgical units.

Diversity Strategic Plan

Download the AOA Diversity Strategic Plan 2018–2023