Background. An understanding of the patterns of healthcare services used after MRI of the spine in general practice would provide information about how MRI scans are used in primary care. Aim. To describe the healthcare use of patients referred for lumbar MRI in general practice, and to investigate the association between specific patient characteristics, back pain characteristics and MRI abnormalities with subsequent specialist consultation. Methods. Patients already referred by their general practitioner for MRI of the lumbar spine were recruited. The MRI radiology reports were scored on abnormalities. The questionnaires filled in at baseline, and at 3 and 12-month follow-up, included potential clinical predictors from history taking and use of healthcare services (consultation, surgery). Results. Of the 683 included patients being referred for MRI by their general practitioner, 55% were being referred for consultation with a specialist during the first 3 months of follow-up. Patients with no history of back complaints, severe leg pain, more disability, and/or a history of back surgery had a greater chance of being referred to a specialist. Addition of the reported MRI findings did not add to the predictive value of being referred based on only clinical factors. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that the general practitioners decision whether or not to refer a patient to a specialist was not dependent on the MRI report, but was mostly based on history taking. From a clinical perspective, these results raise questions about the usefulness of the lumbar MRI in general practice patients with low back pain. Conflicts of interest: No conflicts of interest. Sources of funding for the research: This study is partly funded by a program grant of the Dutch Arthritis Foundation. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript

Introduction: Criticism is often made of general practitioners’ referrals to an orthopaedic service in a public hospital. There is often inadequate information about any previous treatment and it is difficult to assess the levels of pain and disability in the individual patient. Method: A review of 200 referral letters from general practitioners for patients to attend as orthopaedic out-patients has been carried out. One hundred of these patients were from the North Shore Hospital catchment area and the rest were from the Auckland Hospital catchment area. The letters were analysed according to history, previous treatment, results of previous treatment, and investigations including results of blood tests and x-rays. Results: An analysis of the results showed that, in general, 50% of the patients’ referrals were inadequately documented and, in particular, it was difficult to assess the individual patient’s level of pain and disability relating to the primary orthopaedic problem. Discussion: It is suggested that referral letters should contain adequate information to start the initial prioritisation of patients to allow those who have the greater need to have access to the limited resources of the public hospital service

Aims: Musculo-skeletal complaints comprise a significant proportion of General Practitioner workload. The aim of this study was to assess whether the training of GP’s is satisfactory given their exposure to orthopaedics and trauma in practice. Methods: A postal questionnaire was sent to 200 local General Practitioners requesting information on their training in musculo-skeletal conditions. Results: The response rate was 58%. The reported estimated proportion of musculo-skeletal problems varied between 10% and 60 %. Only 33% of General Practitioners had any formal post graduate training in trauma and orthopaedics. Experience in the related specialities of rheumatology was 12% and A+E 69%. 35% of responding General Practitioners reported a specialist interest in musculo-skeletal conditions although less than 2% have any postgraduate qualifications in this area. Only 23% of GP’s thought that their training in orthopaedics and trauma was adequate .85% felt that they would benefit from further training. 80% of these felt that clinical teaching would be the best way to achieve this. Conclusions: Musculo-skeletal problems comprise a significant proportion of General Practice workload. Despite this fact formal training in trauma and orthopaedics received by GP’s is minimal. 77% of GP’s feel that their training in the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions is inadequate and 85% would like further training

An initial report from an acute back pain screening clinic, the first of its kind in Ireland, run by two Chartered Physiotherapists under the supervision of a Consultant Spinal Surgeon. Patients are referred directly from their Primary Care Practitioners and the A& E Department. The objectives of the clinic are to fast track patients with spinal pathology requiring specialist treatment, identify patients requiring other treatments/ interventions and ultimately to attempt to prevent the development of the chronic back pain syndrome. Since March 2001, approximately 800 patients with acute low back pain of duration greater than 6 weeks and less than 1 year have been seen at this clinic. 30% were referred for formal physiotherapy, 11% to the orthopaedic spinal clinic, 1% to the specialist pain clinic and 30% were discharged following simple advice and education. Study Objective: To assess patient and General Practitioner satisfaction with this service. Design: A validated patient satisfaction questionnaire for back pain was administered to 100 consecutive patients who had attended the clinic at least 6 months previously. 70 General Practitioners who had utilised the service were asked to complete a further questionnaire. Results: The response rate was 73% from the patients and 66% from GP’s. Patients reported satisfaction with the treatment, advice and information received at the clinic but felt more investigations were warranted. GP’s were pleased with the accessibility of the service but expressed reservations about the quality of correspondence from the clinic. Conclusions: The back pain screening clinic represents an important development in the services available for those with acute low back pain as demonstrated by the satisfaction of both those referring to and attending the clinic

Aims

To assess the cost-effectiveness of a two-layer compression bandage versus a standard wool and crepe bandage following total knee arthroplasty, using patient-level data from the Knee Replacement Bandage Study (KReBS).

Aims. In the Netherlands, general practitioners (GPs) can request radiographs. After a radiologically diagnosed fracture, patients are immediately referred to the emergency department (ED). Since 2020, the Máxima Medical Centre has implemented a new care pathway for minor trauma patients, referring them immediately to the traumatology outpatient clinic (OC) instead of the ED. We investigated whether this altered care pathway leads to a reduction in healthcare consumption and concomitant costs. Methods. In this retrospective cohort study, patients were included if a radiologist diagnosed a fracture on a radiograph requested by the GP from August to October 2019 (control group) or August to October 2020 (research group), on weekdays between 8.30 am and 4.00 pm. The study compared various outcomes between groups, including the length of the initial hospital visit, frequency of hospital visits and medical procedures, extent of imaging, and healthcare expenses. Results. A total of 634 patients were included. The results show a median reduction of 25 minutes in duration of initial hospital visits, one fewer hospital visit, overall fewer medical procedures, and a decrease in healthcare costs of €303.40 per patient in the research group compared to the control group. No difference was found in the amount of imaging. Conclusion. The implementation of the new care pathway has resulted in a substantial reduction in healthcare use and costs. Moreover, the pathway provides advantages for patients and helps prevent crowding at the ED. Hence, we recommend immediately referring all minor trauma patients to the traumatology OC instead of the ED. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(10):728–734

Our aim was to assess the impact of the increasing number of patients on orthopaedic waiting lists on general practitioners in New Zealand. A 10-point questionnaire was developed in association with the General Practice Department at the Wellington School of Medicine, and mailed to 250 randomly chosen general practitioners around New Zealand. One hundred and fifty general practitioners returned the survey. Sixty three per cent of general practitioners reported having between eleven and thirty patients on an orthopaedic waiting list in their practice. 85% of general practitioners reported spending up to an extra 6 hours per month looking after problems caused by having to provide extra care for the patients. In 90% of cases general practitioners reported that their patients required considerably greater community support in the form of extra physiotherapy, meals-on-wheels and occupational therapy. In 138 cases, general practitioners reported greater levels of stress in the families of patients on waiting lists. The majority of general practitioners reported an increased need for analgesia and night sedation during the period on a waiting list. They also reported substantial increases in paperwork necessary to access social supports. This study documents the burden on general practitioners produced by the increasing waiting lists, and the re-alignment of waiting lists. This burden is reducing the general practitioner’s ability to deal with routine general practice problems, and likely adversely affects the health of other New Zealanders. There is a need for a study of patients on waiting lists to further assess their needs

Aims. The rate of day-case total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the UK is currently approximately 0.5%. Reducing length of stay allows orthopaedic providers to improve efficiency, increase operative throughput, and tackle the rising demand for joint arthroplasty surgery and the COVID-19-related backlog. Here, we report safe delivery of day-case TKA in an NHS trust via inpatient wards with no additional resources. Methods. Day-case TKAs, defined as patients discharged on the same calendar day as surgery, were retrospectively reviewed with a minimum follow-up of six months. Analysis of hospital and primary care records was performed to determine readmission and reattendance rates. Telephone interviews were conducted to determine patient satisfaction. Results. Since 2016, 301/7350 TKAs (4.1%) in 290 patients at our institution were discharged on the day of surgery. Mean follow-up was 31.4 months (6.2 to 70.0). In all, 28 patients (9.3%) attended the emergency department or other acute care settings within 90 days of surgery, most often with wound concerns or leg swelling; six patients (2.0%) were readmitted. No patients underwent a subsequent revision procedure, and there were no periprosthetic infections. Two patients (0.7%) underwent secondary patella resurfacing, and one patient underwent arthroscopic arthrolysis after previous manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA). Three patients (1.0%) underwent MUA alone. Primary care consultation records, available for 206 patients, showed 16 patients (7.8%) contacted their general practitioner within two weeks postoperatively; two (1.0%) were referred to secondary care. Overall, 115/121 patients (95%) telephoned stated they would have day-case TKA again. Conclusion. Day-case TKA can be safely delivered in the NHS with no additional resources. We found low incidence of contact with primary and secondary care in the postoperative period, and high patient satisfaction. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(8):621–627

Musculoskeletal tumours are relatively rare and as such, they are not well known by the population and by general practicioners. We observed that an important proportion of our patients has seen major delays at diferent stages of their referral pathway. It is well recognised that such delays can cause avoidable loss of function, local and systemic recurrence and increase in health system costs. The main objective of this study was to prospectively assess the referral paterns of our patients to pinpoint the causes of the delays. This should allow the formation of strategies to minimise delas and their impact. The secondary objective was to assess the performance of our centre in comparaison to other centre with the goal of improving quality of care. Prospective follow up data is available for 457 patient referred to our musculoskeletal oncology team between july 2011 and november 2014. Every patients filled questionnaires on their initial referral patterns. Site specific function and quality of life are evaluated at baseline and at subsequent follow-up (six months, one year, three years and five years). The average delay between the first symptoms and the first medical consultation with a general practitioner was 37 weeks (CI: 27–46). The average delay between the first medical consultation and the referral to orthopaedic oncology was 54 weeks (CI: 43–65). The delay between the first consultation with a general practitioner and the first radiologic test was 31 weeks (CI: 22–39). The delay between the first radiologic test and the referral to orthopaedic oncology was 28 weeks (CI 24–32). The delay between the referral to orthopaedic oncology and the first appointment to our centre was three weeks (CI 2–4). Before the referral to our center, 23% of the patients met two general practitioners and 10% met with 3 or more general practitioner. Fifty-two pervent of the patients had a consultation with a specialist and 19% saw two or more specialists. It is imperative to raise awareness of musculoskeletal tumours and indication for early referral in general practitioners. One of the main problems in our actual referral patern is early access to appropriate imaging. The creation of a referral program with specific guidelines is, in our opinion, the best way to significantly reduce the delays for appropriate management of patients with suspiscion of musculoskeletal tumours

The progressive painful and disabling predicament of patients with severe osteoarthritis awaiting a total hip or knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) results in a decline in muscle mass, strength and function also known as Sarcopenia. We conducted a cross-sectional, prospective study of patients on the waiting-list for a THA/TKA in the South Australian public healthcare system and compared the findings to healthy participants and patients newly referred from their general practitioners. Participants with a history of joint replacements, pacemakers and cancers were excluded from this study. Outcomes of this study included (i) sarcopenia screening (SARC-F ≥4); (ii) sarcopenia, defined as low muscle strength (hand grip strength M<27kg; F<16kg), low muscle quality (skeletal muscle index M<27%, F<22.1%) and low physical performance (short physical performance battery ≤8). Additional outcomes include descriptions of the recruitment feasibility, randomisation and suitability of the assessment tools. 29 healthy controls were recruited; following screening, 83% (24/29) met the inclusion criteria and 75% (18/24) were assessed. 42 newly referred patients were recruited; following screening, 67% (30/45) met the inclusion criteria and 63% (19/30) were assessed. 68 waiting list patients were recruited; following recruitment, 24% (16/68) met the inclusion criteria and 75% (12/16) were assessed. Preliminary data shows increasing waiting time is associated with higher SARC-F scores, lower hand grip strength and lower muscle quality. As a pilot study, preliminary data demonstrate that: (1) study subjects’ willingness to participate will enable a larger study to be conducted to establish the prevalence of sarcopenia and the diagnostic cut-off points for this patient group. (2) SARC-F is a suitable tool to screen for sarcopenia. (3) There is a positive correlation between waiting time for a THA/TKA and sarcopenia

Abstract. Introduction. The rate of day-case total knee replacement (TKR) in the UK is currently ~0.5%. Reducing length of stay improves efficiency, increases operative throughput and tackles the rising demand for joint replacement surgery and the COVID-19 related backlog. We report safe delivery of day-case TKR in an NHS Trust via inpatient wards, with no additional resources. Methodology. Day-case TKRs, defined as patients discharged on the same calendar day as surgery, were retrospectively reviewed with a minimum follow-up of six-months. Analysis of hospital and primary care records was performed to determine readmission and reattendance rates. Telephone interviews were conducted to determine patient satisfaction. Results. Between 2016 and 2021, 301/7350 (4.1%) TKRs were discharged on the day of surgery. Mean follow-up was 31.4 (6.2–70.0) months. 28 (9.3%) patients attended Accident and Emergency or other acute care settings within 90-days of surgery; six (2.0%) patients were readmitted. No patients underwent a subsequent revision procedure. There were no prosthetic infections. Two patients underwent secondary patella resurfacing, and one patient underwent arthroscopic arthrolysis after previous manipulation under anaesthetic (MUA). Three patients underwent MUA alone. Primary care consultation records, available for 206 patients, showed 16 (7.8%) patients contacted their General Practitioner within two-weeks post-operatively; two (1.0%) were referred to secondary care. 115/121 (95%) patients telephoned stated they would have day-case TKR again. Conclusion. Day-case TKR can be safely delivered in the NHS with no additional resources. We found low incidence of contact with primary and secondary care in the post-operative period, and high patient satisfaction

Introduction. Postvoid residualurine (PVR) can be an unknown chronic disorder, but it can also occur after surgery. A pilot-study initiated in Elective Surgery Center, Silkeborg led to collaboration with a urologist to develop a flowchart regarding treatment of PVR. Depending on the severity, men with significant PVR volumes were either recommend follow up by general practitioner or referred to an urologist for further diagnose and/or treatment. Aim: to determine the prevalence of pre- and postoperative PVR in men >65 years undergoing orthopedic surgeries and associated risk factors. Method. A single-center, prospective cohort study. Male patients were consecutively included during one year from April 2022. Data was extracted from the electronic patient files: age, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), co-morbidity (e.g. diabetes), type of surgery and anesthesia, opioid use, pre- and postoperative PVR. Result. 796 participants; 316 knee-, 276 hip-, 26 shoulder arthroplasties and 178 lower back spinal surgeries. 95% (755) were bladder scanned preoperatively. 12% (89) had PVR 150-300ml, and 3% (23) had PVR >300ml. There was a higher risk of preoperative PVR ≥150ml in patients reporting LUTS, OR 1.97(1.28;3.03), having known neurological disease, OR 3.09(1.41;6.74), and the risk increased with higher age, OR 1.08 per year (1.04;1.12). Diabetes and the type of surgery was not associated with higher risk of PVR. 72% (569) had a postoperative bladder scan. 15% (95%CI: 12-19%) (70) patients without PVR preoperatively had PVR ≥150ml postoperatively. Conclusion. Approximately 15% of the men had PVR ≥150ml preoperatively. Neurological disease was the most severe risk factor and secondary if reporting LUTS. As expected, the risk increased with age. Neither diabetes nor the type of surgery was associated with higher risk. 15% of men without preoperative PVR had PVR after surgery. It is not possible to conclude if it is transient or chronic but further studies are ongoing

Traumatic rotator cuff injuries can be a leading cause of prolonged shoulder pain and disability, and contribute to significant morbidity and healthcare costs. Previous studies have shown evidence of socio-demographic disparities with these injuries. The purpose of this nationwide study was to better understand these disparities based on ethnicity, sex, and socio-economic status, in order to inform future healthcare strategies. Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) is a no-fault comprehensive compensation scheme encompassing all of Aotearoa/New Zealand (population in 2018, 4.7 million). Using the ACC database, traumatic rotator cuff injuries were identified between January 2010 and December 2018. Injuries were categorized by sex, ethnicity, age and socioeconomic deprivation index of the claimant. During the 9-year study period, there were 351,554 claims accepted for traumatic rotator cuff injury, which totalled over $960 million New Zealand Dollars. The greatest proportion of costs was spent on vocational support (49.8%), then surgery (26.3%), rehabilitation (13.1%), radiology (8.1%), general practitioner (1.6%) and “Other” (1.1%). Asian, Māori (Indigenous New Zealanders), and Pacific peoples were under-represented in the age-standardized proportion of total claims and had lower rates of surgery than Europeans. Māori had higher proportion of costs spent on vocational support and lower proportions spent on radiology, rehabilitation and surgery than Europeans. Males had higher number and costs of claims and were more likely to have surgery than females. There were considerably fewer claims from areas of high socio-economic deprivation. This large nation-wide study demonstrates the important and growing economic burden of rotator cuff injuries. Indirect costs, such as vocational supports, are a major contributor to the cost suggesting improving treatment and rehabilitation protocols would have the greatest economic impact. This study has also identified socio-demographic disparities which need to be addressed in order to achieve equity in health outcomes

Background. Information about low back pain (LBP) and help to support patients' self-management are recommended in the majority of guidelines for LBP management. However, the delivery of patient information and advice can be time consuming, and with short available consultation times for general practitioners (GPs), new methods to support the delivery of sufficient patient information is called for. Purpose. To identify general practitioners' perspectives on recommending online information to patients with LBP. Methods. Danish GPs varying in age and professional interests were recruited to interviewing in their practices (their working environment). The interviews were based on a semi-structured interview guide, based on a value-led method, and inspired by think aloud methods,. Results. Eight 60-Minutes interviews were conducted. For GPs to recommend online LBP information, it is essential to target the information to their patients. GPs expressed the possible advantages by involving both healthcare professionals and patients in the development of the online information material by aligning the content with the face-to-face delivered information. Furthermore, the content should be guideline concordant. However, GPs expressed that some patients had problems with accessing and understanding health-related LBP information. Conclusion. When developing online information, the content should be supported by evidence and it is important to involve patients' and GPs' preferences in the design process. Consequently, including the elements in evidence-based medicine. However, GPs do not consider online information material to be suited to all. No conflicts of interest. Sources of funding: Funded by ARs' Honour in Medical Research from Magda and Svend Aage Friederichs Memorial Fund and the Novo Nordic Foundation

Background and study purpose. Low mood and distress are commonly reported with by people with persistent musculoskeletal pain and may be mislabelled as ‘depression’. In order to understand how pain-related distress is conceptualised and managed in primary care consultations, we explored understanding of pain-related distress and depression from the perspectives of people with persistent musculoskeletal pain and general practitioners (GPs). Method and results. Semi-structured interviews with 21 GPs and 21 people with persistent musculoskeletal pain were conducted. The majority of people with pain had back pain (15/21). Data were analysed thematically using constant comparison techniques. Participants described challenges distinguishing between distress and depression in the context of persistent pain but described strategies to make this distinction. Some people with pain described how acceptance of their situation was key, involving optimism about the future and creation of a new identity. Some GPs expressed ‘therapeutic nihilism’, with uncertainty about the cause of pain and thus how to manage people with both pain and distress, whilst GPs who could identify and build on optimism with patients described how this could help the patient to move forwards. Conclusion. This study offers a model for the primary care consultation with patients presenting with pain-related distress. GPs should recognize the impact of pain on the patient, support the person in acceptance of the pain, explore how the person feels about the future, encourage optimism, and support self-management strategies. Conflicts of Interest: No conflict of interests. Sources of funding: This study was funded by Versus Arthritis – grant number: 22454; Carolyn A Chew-Graham is part-funded by NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West Midlands

The coronavirus pandemic has reduced the capability of Canadian hospitals to offer elective orthopaedic surgery requiring admission, despite ongoing and increasing demands for elective total hip and total knee arthroplasty surgery (THA and TKA). We sought to determine if the coronavirus pandemic resulted in more outpatient THA and TKA in Nova Scotia, and if so, what effect increased outpatient surgery had on 90 day post-operative readmission or Emergency Department/Family Doctor (FD) visits. The study cohort was constructed from hospital Discharge Abstract Data (DAD), inpatient admissions, and National Ambulatory Care Reporting System (NACRS) data, day surgery observations, using Canadian Classification of Health Intervention codes to select all primary hip and knee procedures from 2005-2020 in Nova Scotia. Emergency Department and General Practitioner visits were identified from the Physician Billings data and re-admissions from the DAD and NACRS. Rates were calculated by dividing the number of cases with any visit within 90 days after discharge. Chi-squared statistics at 95% confidence level used to test for statistical significance. Knee and hip procedures were modelled separately. There was a reduction in THA and TKA surgery in Nova Scotia during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Outpatient arthroplasty surgery in Nova Scotia in the years prior to 2020 were relatively stable. However, in 2020 there was a significant increase in the proportion and absolute number of outpatient THA and TKA. The proportion of THA increased from 1% in 2019 to 14% in 2020, while the proportion of TKA increased from 1% in 2019 to 11% in 2020. The absolute number of outpatient THA increased from 16 cases in 2019, to 163 cases in 2020. Outpatient TKA cases increased from 21 in 2019, to 173 in 2020. The increase in outpatient surgery resulted in an increase in 90 day presentations to ED following TKA but not THA which was not statistically significant. For outpatient THA and TKA, there was a decrease in 90 day readmissions, and a statistically significant decrease in FD presentations. Outpatient THA and TKA increased significantly in 2020, likely due to the restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic on elective Orthopaedic surgery requiring admission to hospital. The increase in outpatient surgery resulted in an increase in 90 day presentations to ED for TKA, and a decrease in 90 day readmissions and FD presentations for THA and TKA. Reducing the inpatient surgical burden may result in a post-operative burden on ED, but does not appear to have caused an increase in hospital readmission rates

The purpose of this prospective pilot study is to examine the feasibility of a physiotherapist led rapid access shoulder screening clinic (RASC). The goal of this study is to assess for improvements in patient access to care, patient reported outcome measures, patient reported experience measures, and cost outcomes using time driven activity based costing methods. Patient recruitment began in January 2021. Consultation requests from general practitioners and emergency rooms are analyzed and triaged through a central system. One half of patients awaiting consultation were triaged to the traditional route used at our center while the other half were triaged to be assessed at the RASC. Outcome measures consisting of the Simple Shoulder Test and SF-12 were recorded at the initial consultation and at follow up appointments. Cost benefit analysis was conducted using time driven activity based costing methods (TD-ABC). From January to August of 2021, 123 new patients were triaged for RASC assessment. On average, the RASC gets 10 new referrals per month. As of September 2021, there are 65 patients still on waitlist for RASC assessment with 58 having been assessed. Of the 58, 11% were discharged through the RASC, 48% pursued private physiotherapy, 14% had injections, 19% proceeded on for surgical consultation, and 8% did not show. Over time same time period, approximately 15 new patients were seen in consultation by the surgeon's office. Thirty-five responses were obtained from RASC patients during their initial intake assessment. The average age of respondents was 54.7 with 21 females and 14 males. Median SF-12 scores in the physical dimension (PCS-12) for RASC patients were 36.82 and mental (MCS-12) 49.38927. Median Simple Shoulder Test scores measured 6. Of the patients who responded to the follow up questionnaires after completing physiotherapy at the RASC, both the SF-12 and Simple Shoulder Test scoring improved. Median PCS-12 measured 47.08, MCS-12 of 55.87, and Simple Shoulder Test measured 8. RASC assessments by PT saved $172.91 per hour for consultation and $157.97 per hour for patient follow ups. Utilization of a physiotherapy led rapid access shoulder clinic resulted in improvements in patient outcomes as measured by the SF-12 and Simple Shoulder Test as well as significant direct cost savings. Proper triage protocols to identify which patients would be suitable for RASC assessment, buy-in from physiotherapists, and timely assessment of patients for early initiation of rehabilitation for shoulder pain is paramount to the success of a RASC system at our centre. Future research direction would be geared to analyzing a larger dataset as it becomes available

Abstract. Introduction. Clinic letters to the general practitioner (GP) form an essential part of communication in a patient's care. One essential variable requiring 100% compliance is the laterality/side of the diagnosis. Rationale of this audit was to check compliance of the same in clinic letters, to implement changes within the department initially followed by trust wide change in policy to improve the same. Material and Methods. Clinic letters over a period of time were read through in retrospect to see for mention of side. The exclusion criteria were COVID consenting letters over phone, “did not attend” letters and letters for spinal pathology. After 1st limb of audit following actions were taken: doctor education, secretaries to remind the dictating doctor to mention side in the letter and putting up of laminated prompters in all T&O clinic rooms to remind doctors. Following this a 2nd limb was conducted with similar parameters. Results. 1st Limb:. Total letters 271: Fracture clinic- 126. Elective/orthopaedic clinic – 106. Excluded letters– 39. 2nd Limb:. Total letters 169: Fracture clinic- 91. Elective/orthopaedic clinic – 62. Excluded letters– 16. Letters without the mention of side of diagnosis. 1st Limb: Fracture clinic – 28 out of 126 (22.3%). Orthopaedic clinic – 12 out of 106 (11.3%). 2nd Limb: Fracture clinic – 2 out of 91 (2.2%). Orthopaedic clinic – 2 out of 62 (3.2%). Conclusion. With the changes there was an overall compliance of 97.8% in fracture clinic and 96.8% compliance elective clinic dictations

An audit of general practitioner (GP) Paediatric orthopaedic referrals to our hospital (1996) revealed that the average waiting time was 84 weeks for non-urgent simple conditions. A physiotherapy specialist clinic was set up to reduce waiting times for non-urgent, new general practitioner Paediatric Orthopaedic referrals. To review the outcome at a minimum of 12 months of 1046 consecutive referrals to the Physiotherapy Specialist clinic and to analyse its effectiveness. 114 patients failed to attend the clinic. The remaining 932 patients form the basis of this study. Outcome measures included reduction in the waiting times, patient satisfaction, number of re-referrals to the clinic from the general practitioners and cost-effectiveness. 93% of these patients were managed without direct consultant intervention 71. 6% with advice and reassurance, 16. 9% by referral to the physiotherapy department and 4% with surgical appliances. Only 7% needed consultant evaluation. Waiting time for non-urgent conditions was reduced from 84 weeks in May 1996 to 5 weeks in May 1999. A majority of the parents were satisfied with the clinic. The clinic was found to be cost-effective. The physiotherapy specialist clinic was effective in reducing waiting times for new non-urgent Paediatric Orthopaedic referrals. The success of the clinic was attributable to good co-operation between the consultant and physiotherapist and a well-defined protocol for assessment and management of patients

Knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy is the third most common Orthopaedic surgery performed after TKA and THA, comprising up to 16.6% of all procedures. The efficiency of Orthopaedic care delivery with respect to waiting times and systemic costs is extremely concerning. Canadian Orthopaedic patients experience the longest wait times of any G7 country, yet perioperative surgical care constitutes a significant portion of a hospital's budget. In-Office Needle Arthroscopy (IONA) is an emerging technology that has been primarily studied as a diagnostic tool. Recent evidence shows that it is a cost-effective alternative to hospital- and community-based MRI with comparable accuracy. Recent procedure guides detailing IONA medial meniscectomy suggest a potential node for OR diversion. Given the high case volume of knee arthroscopy as well as the potential amenability to be diverted away from the OR to the office setting, IONA has the potential to generate considerable improvements in healthcare system efficiency with respect to throughput and cost savings. As such, the purpose of this study is to investigate the cost savings and impact on waiting times on a mid-sized Canadian community hospital if IONA is offered as an alternative to traditional operating room (OR) arthroscopy for medial meniscal tears. In order to develop a comprehensive understanding and accurate representation of the quantifiable operations involved in the current state for medial meniscus tear care, process mapping was performed that describes the journey of a patient from when they present with knee pain to their general practitioner until case resolution. This technique was then repeated to create a second process map describing the hypothetical proposed state whereby OR diversion may be conducted utilizing IONA. Once the respective process maps for each state were determined, each process map was translated into a Dupont decision tree. In order to accurately determine the total number of patients which would be eligible for this care pathway at our institution, the OR booking scheduling for arthroscopy and meniscectomy/repair over a four year time period (2016-2020) were reviewed. A sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the effect of the number of patients who select IONA over meniscectomy and the number of revision meniscectomies after IONA on 1) the profit and profit margin determined by the MCS-Dupont financial model and 2) the throughput (percentage and number) determined by the MCS-throughput model. Based on historic data at our institution, an average of 198 patients (SD 31) underwent either a meniscectomy or repair from years 2016-2020. Revenue for both states was similar (p = .22), with the current state revenue being $ 248,555.99 (standard deviation $ 39,005.43) and proposed state of $ 249,223.86 (SD $ 39,188.73). However, the reduction in expenses was significant (p < .0001) at 5.15%, with expenses in the current state being $ 281,415.23 (SD $ 44,157.80) and proposed state of $ 266,912.68 (SD $ 42,093.19), representing $14,502.95 in savings. Accordingly, profit improvement was also significant (p < .0001) at 46.2%, with current state profit being $ (32,859.24) (SD $ 5,153.49) and proposed state being $ (17,678.82) (SD $ 2,921.28). The addition of IONA into the care pathway of the proposed state produced an average improvement in throughput of 42 patients (SD 7), representing a 21.2% reduction in the number of patients that require an OR procedure. Financial sensitivity analysis revealed that the proposed state profit was higher than the current state profit if as few as 10% of patients select IONA, with the maximum revision rate needing to remain below 40% to achieve improved profits. The most important finding from this study is that IONA is a cost-effective alternative to traditional surgical arthroscopy for medial meniscus meniscectomy. Importantly, IONA can also be used as a diagnostic procedure. It is shown to be a cost-effective alternative to MRI with similar diagnostic accuracy. The role of IONA as a joint diagnostic-therapeutic tool could positively impact MRI waiting times and MRI/MRA costs, and further reduce indirect costs to society. Given the well-established benefit of early meniscus treatment, accelerating both diagnosis and therapy is bound to result in positive effects