Lurie Children’s Advances Pediatric Orthopedic Research Toward Closing Access Gaps

Research on disparities in orthopedic care is expanding, but much of it remains focused on describing inequities rather than testing solutions, according to a new review published in JBJS Open Access. The analysis found that while studies examining differences in access and outcomes by race and ethnicity have increased in recent years, most are retrospective and lack community engagement or intervention-based approaches.

The review was coauthored by Neeraj Patel, MD, MPH, MBS, an orthopedic surgeon at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, who is working to move the field beyond identifying disparities toward actively reducing them.

“Understanding where disparities exist is important,” Dr. Patel said. “But improving care requires stronger research methodologies that partner with communities and test strategies designed to address barriers in real-world settings.”

The review examined trends across orthopedic health equity research and found that relatively few studies included prospective designs, qualitative methods or partnerships with affected communities. Pediatric orthopedics followed similar patterns, underscoring a need for research that not only documents inequities but also informs change.

At Lurie Children’s, Dr. Patel is leading efforts to address that gap through RED KARD (Reducing Disparities in Knee Arthroscopy for Adolescents), a five-year NIH-funded study focused on improving access to care for youth with sports-related knee injuries in Chicago’s predominantly Hispanic communities. The project is also supported by grants from POSNA and the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF).

Unlike traditional retrospective studies, the project incorporates direct community engagement to better understand structural and logistical barriers to timely orthopedic care. The findings will be used to design and test interventions intended to shorten time to specialty evaluation and surgery.

In addition to his research, Dr. Patel serves as director of Health Disparity and Community Outreach Programs for orthopaedics. In this role, his team has built partnerships with community organizations on Chicago’s west side and developed sports medicine–focused programming for children and parents. The team plans to expand these outreach efforts in 2026.