The excitement is palpable at the 2026 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, now underway at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. This international gathering brings together more than 7,500 orthopaedic surgeons, researchers, and allied health professionals for a week of education, innovation, and global collaboration.
This year is especially momentous for Duke Orthopaedic Surgery, as Annunziato “Ned” Amendola, MD, FAAOS (pictured center), the Virginia Flowers Baker Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine Division Chief at Duke, and current President of AAOS, delivered the highly anticipated Presidential Symposium: “Value for Whom? Exploring Our Responsibility to Community Musculoskeletal Health.”
Amendola’s symposium addressed one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare: the intersection of value-based care (VBC) in orthopaedic surgery. As VBC models—such as bundled payments, accountable care organizations, and pay‑for‑performance systems—become increasingly embedded in healthcare delivery, mounting evidence indicates that these structures do not benefit all patients equally. Various societal structural barriers influence access, outcomes, and long‑term recovery.
In his role as president, Amendola has championed AAOS initiatives to advance musculoskeletal health through innovative, patient-centered strategies. His leadership reflects a long-standing commitment to improving education, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that orthopaedic care evolves in ways that are both effective and open to all.
A High‑Energy Week at AAOS 2026
The AAOS Annual Meeting continues to build energy each day, offering hands‑on instructional sessions, interactive workshops, immersive technology experiences, and presentations spanning every major orthopaedic subspecialty. Attendees are engaging with cutting-edge innovations—from robotics and augmented/virtual reality surgical tools to orthobiologic therapies and global research collaborations.
The week also features a highly anticipated main‑stage conversation with Presidential Guest Speaker and the former governor of California, actor, author, and fitness expert Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will join Amendola and industry leaders to discuss performance, teamwork, and leadership in an evolving healthcare landscape.
Duke Orthopaedic Surgery faculty are once again at the forefront of national conversation, presenting research, leading instructional sessions, and contributing their expertise across sports medicine, trauma, joint replacement, biologics, and population‑health approaches to orthopaedic care. Their presence throughout the week reflects the depth and influence of Duke’s scholarship, clinical excellence, and commitment to advancing musculoskeletal health on a global stage.
As AAOS 2026 continues, Duke Orthopaedics remains well‑positioned as a national leader—not only in surgical innovation and research, but also in shaping the future of patient-centered, equitable, high‑value care.