Virtual Fracture Clinic…Pearls and Pitfalls from Edinburgh

Description

The presentation begins with Bob Handley expressing gratitude for the opportunity to speak and notes a light-hearted moment about his colleague, Ben, who had initially posed challenging questions. Handley introduces the topic, focusing on the evolution and operational challenges of a virtual trauma triage clinic in Edinburgh, a major trauma center serving a large population.



Andrew Duckworth follows with a detailed examination of the clinic's foundation, highlighting the overburdened traditional fracture clinics that prompted the need for a streamlined approach due to guidelines that required patients to be seen within 72 hours post-injury. As the pressures on the clinic grew, Duckworth acknowledges the contributions of his colleagues Tim White and Sam Kenzie in developing the virtual clinic system.



The discussion covers how the clinic evolved to separate and triage patients efficiently based on their specific injuries, improving patient satisfaction while alleviating backlog in the clinics. Duckworth emphasizes the clinic's effectiveness during the pandemic and the subsequent focus on research to ensure patient safety and effectiveness of treatment protocols.



The presentation outlines specific data from patient referrals, satisfaction scores, and outcomes, showing a significant drop in the need for follow-up interventions following the implementation of the triage system. It also addresses specific cases where oversight might have led to complications, highlighting the importance of thorough examination of imaging in understanding patient injuries.



Overall, Duckworth concludes that the virtual fracture clinic has proved to be beneficial, reducing wait times, enhancing training for medical personnel, and allowing better management of pathways for patient care in trauma situations.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-240876

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