Telemedicine use in orthopaedics: Experience during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction With a recent resurgence of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases globally, an increasing number of healthcare systems are adopting telemedicine as an alternative method of healthcare delivery in a bid to decrease disease transmission. Continued care of orthopaedic patients in the outpatient setting during the coronavirus disease of 2019 era can prove challenging without a systematic workflow, adequate logistics, and careful patient selection for teleconsultation. The aim of this paper is to describe our single-centre experience with the application of telemedicine in our orthopaedic practice, and its effectiveness in maintaining outpatient follow-up of orthopaedic patients. Methodology We describe our centre's telemedicine model of care for orthopaedic patients on the outpatient follow-up – which includes workforce assembly, population health and target patients, logistics and communications, and overall workflow – with roles and responsibilities of involved people portrayed in detail. Results Feedback from both patients and orthopaedic surgeons reflected high satisfaction rates with care provided, noting minimal communication and clinical barriers compared to face-to-face consultations. Whilst not without limitations, our protocol allowed for rapid adoption of telemedicine in line with a national-wide initiative to digitize healthcare. Discussion The implementation of teleconsultation services at our orthopaedic centre has provided an effective method of healthcare delivery while enforcing social distancing measures – which proves vital in combating the spread of COVID-19 and ushering in a new normal.