An audit of orthopaedic referrals via Multi-Professional Triage Teams

Multi-Professional Triage Teams (MPTTs) were created to reduce the caseload of hospital orthopaedic clinics and this prospective study evaluated referrals made to a district general hospital orthopaedic department from a lower limb MPTT clinic.

Over 9 months, 277 referrals to a lower limb hospital orthopaedic clinic were assessed. The temporal delay to hospital clinic review between patients seen at the MPTT clinic and those referred directly by their general practitioner (GP) was analysed using an ANOVA test. A qualitative assessment of diagnoses given to patients reviewed at the MPTT clinic was performed.

The 132 patients initially reviewed at the MPTT clinic and subsequently referred to a hospital consultant waited significantly longer (140 days compared to 62 days by direct GP referral; P < 0.05) to see an orthopaedic consultant. Over three-quarters of this patient cohort incorrectly identified the healthcare professional conducting their consultation at the MPTT clinic. One-third of cases (31%) had no diagnosis made and 22% were assessed as having an incorrect diagnosis.

Time delays, patient confusion regarding professional roles and diagnostic indecision are significant problems for patients referred to hospital orthopaedic clinics from MPTT clinics. This risks sub-optimal patient care and may lead to future medicolegal implications.