Structured Communication in Orthopaedic Practice: Strategies for Safer Surgical Outcomes

Effective communication is essential for safe and high-quality care in orthopaedics, where clinicians often manage diverse conditions ranging from acute trauma to elective surgical conditions. Usually orthopaedic surgeons are often rated lower in communication skills compared to other specialties. This review examines the role of communication in orthopaedic settings and explores structured strategies to enhance both provider interaction and patient engagement.

A comprehensive narrative review was conducted using literature from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The review examined various aspects of communication in orthopaedics, including patient-provider interactions in outpatient and inpatient settings, intraoperative and perioperative team communication, and communication between junior and senior staff members. Emphasis was given on structured communication frameworks and their reported efficacy.

Communication failures remain a major contributor to preventable adverse events in orthopaedics, such as wrong-site surgery, procedural delays, and retained surgical instruments. Moreover, poor communication often leads to patient dissatisfaction despite technically successful interventions like total knee arthroplasty. Effective outpatient communication, characterized by active listening, agenda setting, empathy, shared decision-making, and legible prescriptions strengthens the patient-doctor relationship. During surgery and the perioperative period, structured tools such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), CUS (Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety issue), and TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) enhance communication across professional hierarchies, support situational awareness, and reduce errors.

Embedding structured, patient-centered communication strategies into orthopaedic practice can enhance clinical outcomes and patient safety. Communication should be recognized as a critical clinical competency warranting regular training, particularly in high-risk surgical environments.