Pediatric virtual fracture clinic. Our first 10K!

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Traditional pediatric trauma care relies on in-person (F2F) outpatient visits.
• The study investigates the efficacy of a Virtual Fracture Clinic (VFC) pathway for managing pediatric minor trauma.
• This pathway aims for definitive management during the initial Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) visit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a VFC pathway for pediatric minor trauma.
• To assess the outcomes of children managed through the VFC pathway.
• To determine the cost-effectiveness of implementing a VFC in pediatric trauma care.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data collection from patients referred to the VFC from the PED.
• Tracking outcomes including surgical referral, F2F clinic referral, PED re-referral, and discharge.
• Conducting a cost analysis based on local healthcare system data for VFC implementation.

Main Results:

• Over 4 years, 10,763 children were referred to the VFC.
• 69.8% of children were discharged directly via the VFC.
• The VFC pathway resulted in net savings of €704,667.

Conclusions:

• The VFC pathway is a safe and effective model for managing minor pediatric trauma.
• This approach significantly reduces the need for face-to-face follow-up appointments.
• Implementation of the VFC pathway leads to substantial cost savings in pediatric trauma care.