Operationalizing an orthopedic action plan for the decade of road traffic safety.

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The decade of action for road traffic safety provides orthopaedic surgeons with an opportunity to contribute to policy that will improve the ability to deliver trauma care. In the previous 2 decades outcomes for orthopaedic trauma patients have improved significantly. The decade of action for road traffic safety will bring attention and funding to trauma related endeavors. The challenge before orthopaedic surgeons and orthopaedic trauma societies is to provide delivery mechanisms so that clinical care can reach populations around the globe. Organizing orthopaedic trauma care into care delivery value chains provides a tool for understanding how efficiency can be gained over the entire cycle of care from emergent management through rehabilitation and revision surgery when needed. Integrated practice units allow orthopaedic surgeons to collaborate with other trauma specialists to provide integrated care and exploit the areas of natural overlap to create trauma care systems that optimize communication for surgeons and simplify follow up for patients. By using these tools orthopaedic surgeons can deliver excellent trauma care to populations around the world.