Celebrating 50 Years: AAOE Becomes a Standalone Association

Each month leading up to the AAOE 2019 Annual Conference May 5-8 in Nashville, TN, we will be sharing stories about AAOE in honor of our 50th anniversary. In January, we took it all the way back to the beginning. Last month, we shared the story of Eastern and Western BONES. 

An important transformation began in 1993 when BONES was recognized as a partner in orthopaedic clinic operations by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

In 1995, BONES contracted with AAOS for support services, which included an Executive Director. This contract would eventually expand to include more full-time staff to support BONES’ growing membership. This was a critical pivot for the association, which up until that point had been entirely run by volunteers. Now, member volunteers and leadership had the opportunity to play a strategic role in the association’s growth with the support of professional staff.

During this time, new initiatives were undertaken to increase membership. In 1996 and 1997, BONES launched its first membership campaign that consisted of a large mailing and participation in AAOS and MGMA Annual Conferences. At the end of this campaign, membership reached record-setting numbers of more than 1,000.  

In 2008, the organization rebranded as the American Association of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE) 

In 2013, AAOE moved to Indianapolis as a standalone association. In 2017, the American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives, a 501(c)(6) organization, was created in order to provide greater lobbying capabilities on behalf of members. AAOE members continue to receive education through the Association.   

In the short video below, Donald A. Schreiner, MBA, CEO of OrthoIllinois, discusses AAOE's move to Indianapolis as a standalone association, which occurred during his presidency (turn on closed captions to watch with the sound off).