Improving patient flow through fracture clinics

MacHSR Future Leaders Fellowship program (2023 cohort).

The current fracture clinic model is experiencing challenges to patient access and flow affecting patient care. Having an established therapist-led triaging process and structured pathway for patients with closed hand injuries will facilitate timely hand therapy services to patients enabling speedy recovery and reduce complication due to immobilisation, including weakness, stiffness and chronic pain. My project’s aim is reviewing current processes and using the current credentialed Advanced Practice Hand Therapist to develop and implement a Hand Therapy, Advanced Scope, Therapist-Led Fracture Clinic in association with the Orthopaedic Department at Werribee Mercy Hospital.

I hope to utilise my MacHSR expertise to design and set up a structured pathway of care for patients with closed hand injuries to ensure they receive clinically appropriate comprehensive care – that is, coordinated and delivered in a timely manner with the proposed therapist-led model of care. I also hope the Fellowship will help me identify the facilitating and constraining factors determining the development of this proposed allied health advance practice role with the fracture clinic.