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- Talk
- 22/06/2023
- CANADA
The Future State of the Bone and Joint Health SCN – Rapid Access Clinics (RACs), Prehabilitation, and Facilitated Access to Specialized Treatment (FAST)
Description
In a recent presentation, Jill Robert discusses the current challenges and future initiatives in orthopedic and specialty care in Alberta. She begins by addressing the need for improvement in patient access to specialty services, emphasizing the inefficiencies that arise from patients having to navigate through multiple providers and clinics—a situation characterized by a series of 'locked gates' as described by her colleague, Jean. This cumbersome journey results in prolonged wait times for consultations, contributing to deteriorating quality of life for many patients dealing with bone and joint health issues. Robert highlights the alarming fact that most patients referred for orthopedic consultations are actually non-surgical cases, leading to resource bottlenecks.
To tackle these challenges, Robert outlines an initiative to enhance special care access through a coordinated approach that involves improved communication and pathways between primary care physicians and specialists. A specific example follows, illustrating how a patient named David moves from seeing his family doctor to obtaining specialist consultation in a streamlined manner, which significantly reduces wait times and improves patient experience.
Additionally, Robert introduces the concept of Rapid Access Clinics (RACs), designed to provide prompt musculoskeletal assessments. These clinics aim to manage around 80% of patients conservatively without the need for surgical consultation. Furthermore, she mentions the introduction of prehabilitation programs intended to optimize patients' health before surgery, thereby improving post-surgical outcomes. The session concludes with an emphasis on the collaborative effort required from various stakeholders—including patients, healthcare providers, and administrators—to build an integrated musculoskeletal system in Alberta.