ENROLLED
Page 1 of 2
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 137
BY REPRESENTATIVE SIMON
A RESOLUTION
To commend the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association and to recognize Wednesday, May 14,
2014, as Louisiana Orthopaedic Day at the state capitol.
WHEREAS, the House of Representatives of the Legislature of Louisiana hereby
commends the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association for providing vital medical care and
services for the citizens of our state; and
WHEREAS, the mission of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association is to encourage,
develop, and increase knowledge and awareness of orthopaedic surgery among the
association's present and future members and to foster and assure the highest quality of
musculoskeletal health care through all of the following means:
(1) Education of orthopaedic surgeons, other health care practioners, and the public.
(2) Promotion of research concerning orthopaedic medicine.
(3) Effective communication with other health care professionals and the public; and
WHEREAS, these and other functions of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association
serve to foster, develop, support, and augment charitable, scientific, and educational efforts;
and
WHEREAS, the association also monitors legislation, regulations, administrative
rulings, and court decisions affecting the practice of orthopaedic surgery, and provides
timely reports with respect thereto to the association's board of directors; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association promotes high moral and ethical
standards, along with fellowship and good will among its members; and
WHEREAS, bone and joint health problems are among the most prevalent and
debilitating health challenges that Americans face, both in human and economic terms; and
WHEREAS, unencumbered access to orthopaedic care is vital to ensuring that our
workers, communities, and economy remain healthy and strong; and ENROLLEDHR NO. 137
Page 2 of 2
WHEREAS, the indirect economic benefit for the annual number of approximately
six hundred thousand patients who have a total knee replacement is roughly twelve billion
dollars over those patients' lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, approximately eighty-five percent of that economic benefit is associated
with increased employment and earnings, with the remaining fifteen percent of the benefit
associated with fewer missed work days and lower disability payments; and
WHEREAS, for an average knee replacement, the total of all medical costs for
surgery and rehabilitation is slightly greater than twenty thousand dollars, but these expenses
are more than offset by indirect savings of over thirty-nine thousand dollars resulting from
that procedure; and
WHEREAS, the quality orthopaedic care that the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association
promotes is of immense value to this state.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association for
providing vital medical care and services and does hereby express sincere gratitude to
Louisiana's orthopaedic surgeons for their contributions to the health and welfare of the
citizens of our state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the Legislature
of Louisiana does hereby recognize Wednesday, May 14, 2014, as Louisiana Orthopaedic
Day at the state capitol.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to the president, the executive director, and the legislative chairman of the Louisiana
Orthopaedic Association.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES