ABPMR Members’ Performance Linked to Participation in MOC Program

Dr. Raymond Reiter evaluates orthopedic injuries, conducts electro-diagnostic studies, and performs PRP joint injections under fluoroscopy to orthopedic patients at the North Jersey Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute where he serves as a physician. Dr. Raymond Reiter is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR).

In its efforts to police its ranks and to stay true to its mission of protecting the public, ABPMR has implemented the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program to ensure that its members maintain their medical knowledge and skills and to serve as a tool to track the members’ professional improvement over time. The MOC program has been in place for more than two decades.

ABPMR has conducted its study to determine how the MOC program has impacted the performance of its members. The study, which was published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, revealed that the members’ participation in the MOC program is linked to the incidence of disciplinary actions (DAs) imposed by state medical boards.

During the study, ABPMR reviewed the status of the certification and the MOC examination results of 4,974 diplomates who participated in the MOC program between 1993 and 2017 and matched the data with the DAs reported to state medical boards. Based on the results, physicians with lapsed certifications because of non-compliance with the requirements of the MOC program have 2.5 times higher incidence of DA. Their violations were also found to be more severe than those whose certifications never lapsed. Additionally, physicians who performed low in the MOC examinations were 5.25 times more likely to receive a DA report.

ABPMR upholds its commitment to inform the public of such vital information to let the public know of the importance of professionalism in the performance of its members’ duties and responsibilities.

PRP Offers Permanent Solution to Various Orthopedic Conditions

Experienced orthopedic and sports medicine practitioner Dr. Raymond Reiter serves as a physician at North Jersey Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute. Dr. Raymond Reiter evaluates athletic injuries, conducts electro-diagnostic studies, and performs Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) joint injections under fluoroscopy.

PRP offers a permanent solution to certain diseases in the spine, arthritis, sprains, and tears in the ligaments and tendons, and a host of other orthopedic conditions. Because PRP treatment presents permanent solutions, patients can do away with back surgery, joint replacement surgery, or other operative treatments.

PRP treatment is non-operative and may be performed at the physician’s clinic. The PRP treatment process begins with the extraction of a small amount of blood from the patient. Drawn blood is placed in a centrifuge machine, which separates concentrated platelets from the red blood cells. The red blood cells are discarded while the PRP is prepared for injection.

PRP is injected into the source of pain or that part which is not healing appropriately. When the injected portion is somewhere within the area surrounding the spine, fluoroscopy, or the use of X-ray to guide the safe and proper placement of PRP in the affected area, may be utilized.

Depending on the patient’s medical condition, the number of PRP injections is normally between two and six over a certain period of time. Patients who have undergone PRP treatment have reported significant relief from pain after the second injection.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy – An Introduction

Dr. Raymond Reiter practices medicine at North Jersey Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute. Over the course of his career, which has also seen him serve as an assistant team physician for the NFL’s New York Giants, Dr. Raymond Reiter has successfully performed fluoroscopy aided platelet-rich plasma therapy on patients.

A form of regenerative medicine that harnesses and amplifies a person’s natural healing abilities, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy involves using a patient’s own platelets to accelerate recovery from injured ligaments, muscles, tendons, and joints.

During a PRP procedure, a doctor takes a small sample of the patient’s blood. The blood is collected into a syringe and placed in a centrifuge or other specialized separation device for high-speed spinning to separate the blood platelets from other blood components. After separation, the doctor draws the platelets out into a syringe and injects them into the area of the patient’s body that needs treatment, sometimes using fluoroscopy and ultrasound imaging technologies to guide the injection.

In recent years, platelet-rich plasma therapy has become a popular procedure in sports medicine. Platelet-rich plasma therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in improving physiological functions and reducing pain associated with golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, and other chronic tendinosis conditions. Aside from being useful in healing musculoskeletal problems, PRP has been used by doctors to improve hair growth on the scalp by reducing inflammation that may lead to hair loss. PRP also reduces inflammation associated with osteoarthritis that may result in pain and stiffness in the affected joint area.

How Athletes Can Prevent Repetitive Strain Injuries

A young woman touching her painful wrist

Board-certified sports medicine practitioner Dr. Raymond Reiter has delivered orthopedic and rehabilitative care in diverse settings, including in private practice, hospitals, and as a sports team physician. As a staff physician with the North Jersey Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Institute, Dr. Raymond Reiter evaluates and addresses common sports-related traumas, including repetitive strain injuries (RSI).

Athletes are at a higher risk of developing traumas in their ligaments, tendons, joints, and muscles due to the repetition of exaggerated motions. Over time, these injuries can cause problems such as poor coordination, muscle weakness, swelling, and pain. Fortunately, athletes can reduce their risk of developing an RSI by following a warm-up and cool-down regimen that stretches the major muscle groups.

Additionally, athletes should take frequent breaks from physical activity to allow their muscles and tendons to repair themselves. Since proper technique and execution are crucial for preventing RSIs, athletes should also work closely with experienced trainers and coaches and evaluate their form during workouts.