Innovating Orthopedic Healthcare through Digital Engagement

Challenges in healthcare don’t solve themselves, and one solution does not rectify every situation. Challenge-solving is a team sport in healthcare, and it’s an industry always on the hunt for new players.

Technology in healthcare is critical to solving problems in many areas of medicine. CT imaging advancements in data harnessing are leading to better outcomes in orthopedics. AI, machine learning, and robotics in orthopedic surgery are two significant trends in orthopedics today, leading to those improvements in patient care.

MedTech isn’t the only solution for tackling orthopedic challenges. Another essential tool is education and outreach. And one doctor knows that connecting with his community through digital engagement can prove just as decisive as the latest technology gadget.

Dr. Scott Sigman, Practicum Preceptor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and host of the Ortho Show podcast, believes in the power of digital engagement and social network outreach to bring the orthopedic world closer together. He interviews orthopedic thought leaders on everything from tips, strategies, and best practices to real-world challenges and breakthroughs in their field.

Dr. Sigman and MarketScale’s David Kemp recently connected on Highway to Health to talk about finding ways through digital engagement to spread orthopedic knowledge out to the masses. Dr. Sigman admits that healthcare has its challenges, but despite the barriers, there is nothing else he’d rather do.

“There’s no greater privilege than to be able to heal others, and that’s what we do,” Dr. Sigman said. “And yeah, do I have to press more buttons these days? Do I spend more time staring at a computer; all kinds of things make it more challenging, but at the end of the day, I wake up in the morning, go to the office, and people are coming to see me that need my help and my expertise. It’s such a privilege to share that with them and help their healing experience, see them improve and get better; it gets me up every morning, and I’m still thrilled to do it.”

Kemp and Dr. Sigman discuss the following throughout their conversation:

• The real challenges healthcare providers face today
• Using technology to improve provider and patient experiences and outcomes
• Takeaways from the 2023 AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) conference in Las Vegas and the importance of digital connections

“I walk through the airport, and people tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘I love what you’re doing’,” Dr. Sigman said. “We’ve never met before. It’s because we’re connected through social media. So, what if you take your ideas, whatever they may be, whatever it is that you are trying to sell, and then you identify a key opinion leader who happens to have maybe 100,000 followers on social media, and you allow them to amplify your message in a way that never goes away, and you’re gaining customers and people watching and listening in ways in which you could never get before,” he explained.

About Dr. Sigman

Dr. Scott Sigman, M.D., provides state-of-the-art healthcare for his patients for sports-related injuries. Dr. Sigman specializes in all types of injuries to the knee and shoulder. Outside of his clinical practice Dr. Scott is passionate about continuing professional education for his colleagues worldwide. He enjoys the challenges of developing new devices, championing new procedures, and advancing orthopedic care. Dr. Sigman received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He did his orthopedic surgery residency at Tufts University School of Medicine and his Sports Medicine Residency at Kerlan Jobe Sports Medicine Fellowship.