Honoring Dr. Codman
Dr. Ernest Amory Codman revolutionized the practice of medicine across specialties, including anesthesiology, radiology, gastrointestinal surgery, orthopaedic surgery, along with quality and safety. He was a champion of evidence-based medicine and surgical outcomes analysis. During his early practice, Dr. Codman was a highly published and accomplished surgeon at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He started the sub-specialty of orthopaedic shoulder surgery and was a pioneer in bone sarcoma research.
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Dr. Codman was the first orthopaedist to study his outcomes through his “End Result Cards,” which listed demographic information, along with pre-operative and post-operative data on each patient he treated. These cards also contained at least one year of follow-up for each patient.
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Although not well-received at the time, Dr. Codman’s work has carried lasting implications in the medical field.
The Life of Dr. Ernest Amory Codman
1869
Ernest Amory Codman born
1895
Codman graduates from Harvard Medical School and begins practicing as a surgeon at MGH
*The Shoulder: Rupture of the Supraspinatus Tendon and Other Lesions In or About the Subacromial Bursa
1905
Codman begins his "End Results" study
1910
Codman and Dr. Edward Martin help create the American College of Surgeons
1911
Codman becomes the first person to publish on rotator cuff tears
1915
Codman unveils his Cartoon at the Suffolk District Surgical Society
1917
Codman volunteers to treat victims after the Halifax Harbor Explosion
1918
Codman enlists in the Army
1925
Codman publishes his first book, Bone Sarcoma
1934
Codman publishes the first book written on the shoulder*
1940
Codman dies of melanoma
The Codman Cartoon
In 1915, while chair of the Suffolk District Surgical Society, Dr. Codman revealed a 6-ft long cartoon he created in criticism of hospital administration and many surgeons. A large ostrich with its head in the sand digging up golden eggs symbolized the patients of the hospital continuing to pay for treatment without fully knowing if they are receiving the best care. The Board of Trustees are quoted saying,"[i]f we let her know the truth about our patients, do you suppose she would still be willing to lay?" and in the background, two buildings labeled "Clinical Truth" and "Medical Science" are separated. Furthermore, different hospital-based teams are shown catching the golden eggs, underscoring their focus on wealth and money over patient welfare.
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Although an insightful comical critique of the hospital at the time, it was poorly received. Not only did Dr. Codman's medical practice suffer, but he was also ostracized from his colleagues.