RICHLAND, Wash. – Surgeons from all over the world gathered at SIGN Fracture Care in Richland for a fracture conference, highlighting the importance of collaboration in health care. The 2022 conference, held between October 4 and 7, was the first since COVID-19 started.
SIGN welcomed 30 overseas surgeons and 12 from across the country. While smaller than previous conferences, the event still makes a significant impact on those in need. SIGN donates education and implants to surgeons in low-income countries to help people recover from a broken bone. According to the press release from SIGN, it has helped over 390,000 people recover.
At the conference, orthopedic surgeons presented research, learned new procedures and experimented with equipment.
Learning even simple procedures at these conferences can be life-changing for patients in smaller countries, according to Anthony Maina, orthopedic surgeon from Kenya. He said the conference is a good place to learn and exchange ideas.
“Anybody who gets a fracture can go back and continue fighting for their family,” said Maina. “That has a huge impact in terms of taking them away from poverty and all that.”
Maina describes the benefits as a ripple effect. In low-income countries, a fracture may take you out of work, then keep your child from attending school, may eventually lead to them on the street, and so on. He says the cascading effects of SIGN are important because of this.
SIGN hopes to hold the conference again next year.
