Standard of Care and Its Implications on Joint Arthroplasty: A Primer

"Standard of care" refers to the level of clinical practice that a reasonably competent physician is expected to provide under similar circumstances, based on evidence, specialty guidelines, and professional consensus. This article reviews current literature on the standard of care in total joint arthroplasty and orthopaedic surgery, clarifying its definition, application, and role in reducing malpractice risk through evidence-based protocols. Specifically, the authors examined (1) the definition and evolution of standard of care; (2) the role of clinical guidelines, including arthroplasty specific; (3) legal implications in malpractice; (4) differences in elective versus emergent arthroplasty; (5) postoperative protocols central to practice; and (6) challenges and open questions in defining and updating standards of care.