What factors influence follow-up in orthopedic trauma surgery?

• Published in: Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery 2015-03, Vol.135 (3), p.321-327
• Main Authors: Whiting, Paul S., Greenberg, Sarah E., Thakore, Rachel V., Alamanda, Vignesh K., Ehrenfeld, Jesse M., Obremskey, William T., Jahangir, Alex, Sethi, Manish K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Appointments and Schedules; Continuity of Patient Care; Female; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Musculoskeletal System - injuries; Musculoskeletal System - surgery; Office Visits - statistics & numerical data; Orthopaedic Surgery; Orthopedic Procedures - statistics & numerical data; Orthopedics; Patient Compliance - statistics & numerical data; Retrospective Studies; Surgery; Tennessee - epidemiology; Trauma; Trauma Centers - statistics & numerical data
• ISSN: 0936-8051; 1434-3916
• DOI: 10.1007/s00402-015-2151-8

Background Among surgical patients, follow-up visits are essential for monitoring post-operative recovery and determining ongoing treatment plans. Non-adherence to clinic follow-up appointments has been associated with poorer outcomes in many different patient populations. We sought to identify factors associated with non-attendance at follow-up appointments for orthopedic trauma patients. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review at a level I trauma center identified 2,165 patients who underwent orthopedic trauma surgery from 2008 to 2009. Demographic data including age, sex, race, tobacco use, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) score, insurance status, distance from the hospital, and follow-up time were collected. Injury characteristics including fracture type, anatomic location of the operation, length of hospital stay, living situation and employment status were recorded. Attendance at the first scheduled follow-up visit was recorded. Multivariable log-binomial regression analyses were used with statistical significance maintained at p  2, or had a fracture of the hip or pelvis were significantly less likely to follow-up. Age, sex, and race were not significantly associated with failure to follow-up. Discussion Follow-up appointments are essential for preventing complications among orthopedic trauma patients. By identifying patients at risk of failure to follow-up, orthopedic surgeons can appropriately design and implement long-term treatment plans specifically targeted for high-risk patients.