Virtual Fracture Clinic Model in India: A Technological Innovation

Virtual Fracture Clinics (VFCs) are an alternative to the conventional model of fracture and minor injuries care. It is a new, evolving service designed to speed up patient access to orthopaedic care introduced in the United Kingdom in 2011 and has been increasingly used in the management of certain musculoskeletal injuries.

This observational, pilot study evaluates the possibility of combining telemedicine technology and a virtual fracture clinical assessment pathway to remotely assess patients supported by radiology imaging in India.

Piloting and developing a virtual fracture clinical assessment pathway model in India is faced with many challenges including regulations, internet, and data connectivity issues, and concerns of medico-legal implications.

Recent studies have reported Virtual Fracture Clinics (VFCs) to be able to provide a safe, cost-effective model of patient care in a subset of musculoskeletal injuries. Limitations and shortcomings of Virtual Fracture Clinics (VFCs) in India can be mitigated with effective communication, enhanced documentation, appropriate training, and information governance. This pathway is not a replacement for conventional 'face-to-face' evaluation but a credible option to complement the delivery of trauma and orthopaedic care in the future in India.