BACKGROUND

The aim of the Digital Orthopaedics Conference San Francisco* (DOCSF.health) is to catalyze the adoption of digital health tools in orthopaedics. When DOCSF was launched in 2016 the technologies driving the incipient revolution in healthcare were in their infancy and the number of scientific articles on the validity of these innovative solutions were few and far between. Five years later, some of the most innovative researchers in the world are using everything from AI to 3D printing to tackle long-standing musculoskeletal challenges in diagnostics, therapeutics, education, cost and access. DOCSF has grown into an international organization numbering over 6000 engaged participants in nearly every country in the world who are interested in bridging digital health and clinical orthopaedics. Our audience is keenly interested in hearing about this work but there is no scientific event focused on digital orthopaedics nor a way to acknowledge the best research in the field.

AIM 

The primary aim of DOCSF SCIENCE is to create a forum exclusively focused on the presentation, discussion, and dissemination of the best scientific evidence supporting the adoption of digital health tools in orthopaedics. The secondary aims are to 1) recognize and celebrate influential and ground-breaking researchers exploring the adoption of digital technology in musculoskeletal care through the introduction of the DOCSF SCIENCE AWARDS, 2) bring together an international community of like minded innovators, researchers, clinicians, engineers, mathematicians and any other curious onlooker studying at the leading edge of innovation who want to share, support and collaborate to answer the pressing questions of our time, and 3) seed the next generation research and collaboration amongst members of our community. 

METHODS

For the inaugural DOCSF SCIENCE Awards, we wish to focus on 5 research topics:

1. Patient engagement
2. AI: machine learning/big data
3. AI: NLP/Voice
4. VR/AR
5. Sensors in a clinical setting

We will conduct a rigorous scientific review of submissions and identify 20 semifinalists whose work will be highlighted on the DOCSF SCIENCE website. 

Of these 20, three finalists in each focus area will be invited to present their findings and follow-on research to an international panel of experts in a didactic format which will be broadcast at DOCSF SCIENCE 21 on Friday, November 5th, 2021. Following subsequent deliberation, the Panel will select a winner. 

Requirements for Award Consideration:

1. Submissions must have been published in the past 2 years (or accepted for publication). 
2. Papers intended for Award consideration should focus on one of the areas listed in the call for abstracts (Sensors, Patient Engagement, Data Science, AI, AR/VR) and be applicable to musculoskeletal care.
3. The judges will be looking for translational research that demonstrates either improvement in quality, cost or access to care for clinical applications, or significant discovery and advancement in the areas of basic science.
4. The papers need to have been performed using rigorous academic standards with an appropriate statistical analysis and adequate power to support conclusions. Pilot studies, while interesting, are not likely to meet our stringent criteria for “evidence to support change”. 
5. There are no limits to how many unique papers are submitted. though each paper will require a separate administrative fee.
6. The administrative fee of $40 per submission will be invoiced upon submission.
7. Submission deadline: Monday, October 4th, 12:00 PST

Any papers not in these three categories may be submitted and considered for honorable mention (we don’t want to miss out!). 

CONCLUSION

The primary goal of DOCSF SCIENCE is to create an international forum for the collection and dissemination of the most meaningful published research impacting the care of musculoskeletal patients. The purpose of the DOCSF SCIENCE AWARDS is to highlight and celebrate the authors of the most impactful research in this space. Secondarily, we wish to gather the best and brightest minds in the world to help chart a course for the next century and lead MSK innovation rather than follow it. Together, we can.