SAN FRANCISCO – Patients who have had total joint replacement (TJR) are expected to return to their physician's office or clinic regularly for routine follow-up care. In a new study presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), researchers asked 210 TKR patients (with no known complications) to either complete a Web-based follow-up, which included an online survey and an X-ray taken at the nearest Internet-enabled facility; or, to return to the clinic/office for their regular appointment.
The patients who chose the Web-based follow-up reported less travel-related costs ($4.00 versus $21.41), distance traveled (29.1 km versus 110.2 km), and time spent (44.6 minutes versus 55.6 minutes) on their routine follow-up care. In addition, patients in the usual care group missed 5.7 hours of work on average, and their caregivers, 6.4 hours. Web-based follow-up can provide significant time and cost savings to TKR patients without complications, and make the physician's office more accessible to new patients, patients awaiting surgery, and/or patients with post-surgical complications.
About the AAOS
With more than 37,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, (www.aaos.org) or (www.orthoinfo.org) is the premier not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals, champions the interests of patients and advances the highest quality of musculoskeletal health. Orthopaedic surgeons and the Academy are the authoritative sources of information for patients and the general public on musculoskeletal conditions, treatments and related issues. An advocate for improved care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Initiative (www.usbjd.org), the global initiative to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life. The Academy's 2012 Annual Meeting is being held February 7 - 11, 2012 at the San Francisco Moscone Center in San Francisco (www.aaos-annualmeeting-presskit.org).