Ask, Acknowledge, Ascend: Addressing Mistrust as a Strategy to Address Disparities in Orthopaedic Ambulatory Care

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Health Services Research
• Health Equity

Background:

• Minimally invasive techniques and robotics are shifting orthopaedic care to outpatient settings.
• Outpatient surgery promises lower costs, faster recovery, and reduced infection risk.
• Existing disparities in inpatient orthopaedics raise concerns about equitable access in ambulatory settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine disparities in ambulatory orthopaedic surgery access.
• To identify challenges faced by racialized minorities, women, and individuals with obesity.
• To explore strategies for building trust and ensuring patient-centered care.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on orthopaedic surgery trends.
• Analysis of documented disparities in inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Description of approaches to address healthcare mistrust.

Main Results:

• Disparities persist in ambulatory orthopaedic surgery for specific demographic groups.
• Racialized minorities, women, and people with obesity experience unequal access.
• Mistrust in healthcare providers and systems is a significant barrier.

Conclusions:

• The shift to outpatient orthopaedic surgery may exacerbate existing health inequities.
• Addressing disparities requires targeted interventions and building patient trust.
• Patient-centered care models are essential for equitable access to ambulatory orthopaedic services.