[The so-called "minor hand injury" and its socioeconomic sequelae]

A study was carried out involving 167 patients who had received primary treatment in alio loco for injuries diagnosed as 'minor cuts, twists and sprain', and who were then seen in the out-patient department at a later date. The patient group was analyzed with regard to the following: a more precise identification of the initial injury, the initiated treatment regimen and more particularly, the socio-economic consequences of the injury. Duration of treatment programmes, loss of working days and compensatory payments were cost-analyzed. The results showed that a delayed primary surgical intervention was possible in only 17% of cases, it was necessary to alter the treatment regimen in 29% and in 28% it was no longer realistic even to initiate treatment. Comparisons between this population and a group of a patients who had received adequate primary care showed that in the study group length of treatment and days lost at work was prolonged by the factor 1.3; furthermore the number of cases in which the reduction of working ability was 20% and more was increased by 2.7. Increased costs incurred by financial compensations were approx. DM 27,000/patient.