Rural Orthopedics: Providing Orthopedic Care in Rural Communities

Abstract

Providing orthopedic care to rural communities is challenging. Delivering adequate orthopedic care is challenged by delay in presentation, underestimation of urgency, need for subspecialty services, and deficiencies in local support services. Collaboration efforts, peer-to-peer consultations, outreach clinics, virtual consults, electronic consults, and telemedicine are useful strategies. Individual treatment strategy must accommodate the burden on the patient, and patient education is important. Treatment options that require frequent travel should be avoided. Orthopedic surgery is in high demand in rural communities but unfortunately is limited in availability. Strategies are available for improving access to orthopedic care in rural areas. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(4):e350-e355.].