Tackling efficiency in a high demand orthopaedic clinic.

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic surgery
• Healthcare management
• Patient flow optimization

Background:

• Surgical outpatient clinics face efficiency challenges due to increasing patient volumes and staff shortages.
• Clinic sustainability is a critical concern in modern healthcare settings.
• Identifying modifiable factors is key to improving outpatient clinic operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify modifiable factors contributing to extended wait times in an orthopaedic outpatient clinic.
• To analyze clinic efficiency and patient flow within a state trauma centre.
• To assess the impact of staffing ratios and pre-clinic procedures on wait times.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational cohort study was conducted over four weeks at a state trauma centre.
• Clinicians recorded clinic delays, and patient numbers were tracked via an electronic booking system.
• Data analysis utilized SPSS v27 to identify significant factors influencing wait times.

Main Results:

• Average wait time for doctor consultation was 63.9 minutes.
• Wait times significantly decreased with pre-clinic X-rays and appropriate registrar staffing (P < 0.001).
• Face-to-face (18.9%) and telehealth (361.1%) volumes increased significantly between 2018-2022; trauma clinics ran overtime in 95% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Clinic volumes are rising, emphasizing the need for sufficient staffing and efficient processes.
• Pre-clinic X-rays and optimized staffing are modifiable factors that improve clinic efficiency.
• Telehealth is a rapidly expanding modality for surgical outpatient services with potential for future growth.