How Musculoskeletal Virtual Care Is Driving The Digital Transformation of Orthopaedics
A recently published framework illustrates Cleveland Clinic’s strategy for integrating virtual care with orthopaedics.
Written by Dominic King, DO, FAOASM and Jonathan L. Schaffer, MD, MBA
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The COVID-19 pandemic compelled us to think differently about the way patients access orthopaedic care and the ways in which we deliver that care. However, even prior to the pandemic, our team recognized that digital transformation must encompass several critical and emerging issues related to orthopaedic access, triage, treatment, education and retention. Central to our efforts, the Orthopaedic Informatics Working Group (OIWG) was formed as a collaborative effort to ensure that all the appropriate department stakeholder groups, including clinical subspecialty and administrative support teams, are represented. Our team recently published a framework for the responsible integration of musculoskeletal virtual care (MSKVC) in orthopaedic surgery.1
The demand for MSKVC is projected to substantially increase during and beyond the COVID-19 crisis. This is an opportunity to improve access for patients on a lower-cost platform while providing equivalent — or improved—safety and patient satisfaction as compared with the traditional face-to-face model of outpatient care. Incorporating MSKVC into all aspects of the delivery of care continuum is the challenge, and our teams are addressing this in all episodes of care. The ability to adapt to a new model will be essential for musculoskeletal clinical teams as well as organizations as established paradigms are shaken from their foundation and transformed.
OIWG has developed a strategy for integrating MSKVC as an underlying theme across all new innovations involving the clinical transformation of our department. The following overview highlights several MSKVC, Orthopaedic Informatics and Clinical Transformation projects to optimize and enhance access to and delivery of the care we provide in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. The OIWG is always soliciting ideas for opportunities to improve the orthopaedic episode of care. We are eager to continue integrating this initiative into our platform with the goal of providing the highest quality of care to our patients.
Web Scheduling Triage and Access Tool (WebSTAT) |
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Musculoskeletal Virtual Triage Channel (MSK VTC) |
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Physical exam documentation templates |
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Orthopaedic appointment
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Communication tools |
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TKA/THA care path transformation |
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Governance |
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The OIWG is always soliciting ideas for opportunities to improve the orthopaedic episode of care. We are eager to continue integrating this initiative into our platform with the goal of providing the highest quality of care for our patients.
Dr. King is a sports medicine physician in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, the manager of Orthopaedic Informatics, and the director of ORI Clinical Transformation. (Kingd2@ccf.org).
Dr. Schaffer is an adult reconstructive surgeon specializing in knee arthroplasty in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Program Director for the Global MedAssist Program in International Operations (SchaffJ@ccf.org).
Reference
King, D., Emara, A.K., Ng, M.K., Evans, P.J., Estes, K., Spindler, K.P., Mroz, T., Patterson, B.M., Krebs, V.E., Pinney, S. and Piuzzi, N.S. and Schaffer, J.L.: Transformation from a traditional model to a virtual model of care in orthopaedic surgery: COVID-19 experience and beyond. Bone & Joint Open, 1:272-280, 2020.