Efficient patient-initiated follow-up after orthopaedic injections.

Abstract

Annually, thousands of patients with foot and ankle pain receive injections for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, since the duration of pain relief is unpredictable, planning follow-up appointments is difficult. This study aimed to improve patient-initiated follow-up through pain diaries. The diagnosis, intervention and outcomes for patients receiving ultrasound guided foot and ankle injections were included. By comparing the timing of patient-initiated appointments against the standard 6-8 week appointments, the number of 'saved' appointments were calculated. Over twelve months, 104 injections were recorded. Fifty-nine patients (57%) requested a follow-up, with a median time to follow-up was 117 days. Only nine patients (9%) requested a review within 6-8 weeks. This may translate to a potential saving of £9500-£19,000 from the avoided follow-up appointments. Improved pain monitoring through pain diaries allows follow-up appointments to be tailored to patients, which can improve patient experience and resource allocation.