TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficiency of a virtual fracture care protocol in non-operative treatment of adult patients with a distal radial fracture
AU - Willinge, Gijs J. A.
AU - Spierings, Jelle F.
AU - Weert, Ton
AU - Twigt, Bas A.
AU - Goslings, J. Carel
AU - van Veen, Ruben N.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - This study aimed to determine the effects of virtual fracture care (VFC) on secondary healthcare utilization in non-operative treatment of adult patients with a distal radial fracture. A retrospective cohort study was performed, including those who received non-operative treatment without VFC (pre-VFC) and with VFC (VFC). Outcomes included secondary healthcare utilization, calculated treatment costs, emergency department (ED) reattendances and complication rates. In total, 88 pre-VFC and 99 VFC patients were included. Pre-VFC patients had more follow-up appointments, with a median of 4 (IQR: 3) versus a median of 4 (IQR: 1) in VFC patients. In addition, 3% of follow-up appointments for pre-VFC patients were performed remotely compared to 18% for VFC patients. Complications and ED reattendances were comparable between groups. In this study, non-operative treatment of adult patients with a distal radial fracture through VFC reduced secondary healthcare utilization, with similar reported complication and ED reattendance rates compared with treatment without VFC.
AB - This study aimed to determine the effects of virtual fracture care (VFC) on secondary healthcare utilization in non-operative treatment of adult patients with a distal radial fracture. A retrospective cohort study was performed, including those who received non-operative treatment without VFC (pre-VFC) and with VFC (VFC). Outcomes included secondary healthcare utilization, calculated treatment costs, emergency department (ED) reattendances and complication rates. In total, 88 pre-VFC and 99 VFC patients were included. Pre-VFC patients had more follow-up appointments, with a median of 4 (IQR: 3) versus a median of 4 (IQR: 1) in VFC patients. In addition, 3% of follow-up appointments for pre-VFC patients were performed remotely compared to 18% for VFC patients. Complications and ED reattendances were comparable between groups. In this study, non-operative treatment of adult patients with a distal radial fracture through VFC reduced secondary healthcare utilization, with similar reported complication and ED reattendance rates compared with treatment without VFC.
KW - Virtual fracture care
KW - distal radius fracture
KW - efficiency
KW - healthcare utilization
KW - non-operative treatment
KW - treatment costs
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165258944&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1177/17531934231187830
DO - https://doi.org/10.1177/17531934231187830
M3 - Article
C2 - 37458134
SN - 1753-1934
JO - Journal of Hand Surgery: European Volume
JF - Journal of Hand Surgery: European Volume
ER -