@article{ref1,
title="The economic burden of outpatient appointments following paediatric fractures",
journal="Injury",
year="2016",
author="Holm, Anne Guro Vreim and Lurås, Hilde and Randsborg, Per-Henrik",
volume="47",
number="7",
pages="1410-1413",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Paediatric fractures are common and frequently followed-up. The aim of this study is to quantify the private costs for the affected families, as well as the costs for society due to paediatric fracture clinic follow-up appointments. <br><br>PATIENTS AND METHODS: 295 paired parent and surgeon questionnaire regarding the cost related to a scheduled follow-up appointment for an upper limb fracture in children aged 6-13 years were collected prospectively over 7 months. In addition, the medical appropriateness of the appointment and whether or not the control changed the management of the fracture was investigated. <br><br>RESULTS: The direct cost of attending a paediatric upper limb fracture clinic was estimated to €48.5 while the cost for society due to productivity loss was €78.4 per consultation. In 89.2% of the cases the surgeons found the appointment necessary, it was deemed unnecessary or inconclusive in 10.6%. The treatment plan was altered in 6.8%, and an extra follow up was scheduled in 5.8%. Fractures of the clavicle were most often regarded as unnecessary to follow up clinically or radiologically by the surgeons. <br><br>DISCUSSION: The direct cost for the affected families and the costs for society due to productivity loss of paediatric fracture follow-up appointments are noticeable. Although most patients and surgeons deem these controls as valuable, they lead to a change in treatment plan in only 12.6% of the cases. A stringent management protocol can safely reduce the number of clinical and radiographical follow-ups.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0020-1383",
doi="10.1016/j.injury.2016.04.007",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2016.04.007"
}