Objectives: "Virtual fracture clinics" have been reported as a safe and effective alternative to the traditional fracture clinic. Robust protocols are used to identify cases that do not require further review, with the remainder triaged to the most appropriate subspecialist at the optimum time for review. The objective of this study was to perform a "top-down" analysis of the cost effectiveness of this virtual fracture clinic pathway.
Methods: National Health Service financial returns relating to our institution were examined for the time period 2009 to 2014 which spanned the service redesign.
Results: The total staffing costs rose by 4% over the time period (from £1 744 933 to £1 811 301) compared with a national increase of 16%. The total outpatient department rate of attendance fell by 15% compared with a national fall of 5%. Had our local costs increased in line with the national average, an excess expenditure of £212 705 would have been required for staffing costs.
Conclusions: The virtual fracture clinic system was associated with less overall use of staff resources in comparison to national cost data. Adoption of this system nationally may have the potential to achieve significant cost savings.Cite this article: P. J. Jenkins. Fracture clinic redesign reduces the cost of outpatient orthopaedic trauma care. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:33-36. doi: 10.1302/2046-3758.52.2000506.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1302/2046-3758.52.2000506 | DOI Listing |
J Bone Joint Surg Am
January 2025
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Redwood City, California.
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January 2025
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Nonunion is a significant complication in fracture management for surgeons. Salvianolic acid A (SAA), derived from the traditional Chinese plant Salviae miltiorrhizae Bunge (Danshen), exhibits notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Although studies have demonstrated its ability to promote osteogenic differentiation, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear.
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December 2024
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nagoya Tokushukai General Hospital, Kasugai, JPN.
Sternal fractures resulting from blunt chest trauma often present unique surgical challenges. While conservative management is common, cases with significant displacement, delayed union, or painful dyspnea may require surgical intervention to improve structural stability and relieve symptoms. Here, we report the case of a 46-year-old man who sustained a displaced sternal fracture in a motor vehicle accident.
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February 2025
Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
Hypophosphatemic rickets is a rare bone disease characterized by short stature, bone deformities, impaired bone mineralization, and dental problems. Most commonly, hypophosphatemic rickets is caused by pathogenic variants in the X-chromosomal gene, but autosomal dominant and recessive forms also exist. We investigated a Finnish family in which the son (index, 29 yr) and mother (56 yr) had hypophosphatemia since childhood.
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January 2025
School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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