📱 Efficient Patient-Initiated Follow-Up After Orthopaedic Injections
📱 Efficient Patient-Initiated Follow-Up After Orthopaedic Injections
Based on research by Ka Siu Fan, Iqraa Haq, Ali Taha, Andrew Carne, Chintu Gademsetty, and Matthew Solan from Royal Surrey County Hospital and University of Surrey
"91% of follow-up appointments after orthopedic injections are unnecessary." This striking finding from a Royal Surrey County Hospital study reveals how digital pain diaries are transforming patient care. By empowering patients to initiate their own follow-ups, healthcare providers can save £9,500-£19,000 per 100 patients annually while delivering better, more personalized care. Here's the full story:
- 🏥 The Problem: Standard 6-8 week follow-ups after injections are often unnecessary
- 📊 The Solution: Pain diaries enable patients to request appointments only when needed
- 💰 The Savings: Up to £19,000 saved per 100 patients through avoided appointments
- 👨⚕️ Better Care: More personalized treatment based on individual pain patterns
🚫 The Challenge with Standard Follow-Ups
Foot and ankle injections are commonly used to diagnose and treat conditions like tendinopathy and arthritis. These injections combine local anesthetic (for immediate pain relief) and corticosteroids (for longer-lasting anti-inflammatory effects). However, the traditional approach to follow-up care has significant drawbacks:
🗓️ Current Practice
- 85% of clinicians schedule routine 6-8 week follow-ups
- 83% of these appointments are unnecessary
- Duration of pain relief is highly variable
- One-size-fits-all approach wastes resources
- Costs £100-200 per appointment
📊 Study Findings
- Only 9% of patients needed follow-up within 6-8 weeks
- Median time to follow-up was 117 days
- 43% required no follow-up at all
- 57% eventually requested follow-up
- £9,500-£19,000 saved per 100 patients
The study examined 104 patients who received foot and ankle injections over a 12-month period. By tracking when patients actually needed follow-up care, researchers discovered that the standard 6-8 week appointment timeframe was unnecessary for 91% of patients.
📝 How Pain Diaries Transform Follow-Up Care
The Royal Surrey study used a simple paper-based pain diary that allowed patients to record their pain levels on a visual analog scale. This approach had several advantages:
Example of a pain diary used in the study
- 🔍 Better Diagnostic Information: Detailed pain records help clinicians understand exactly when and how the injection affected symptoms
- ⏱️ Appropriate Timing: Follow-ups occur when clinically necessary, not based on arbitrary schedules
- ⏱️ Informed Decision-Making: Pain patterns guide future treatment decisions (repeat injections, alternative sites, or surgical options)
- 👨👩👧👦 Patient Empowerment: Patients become active participants in their care journey
Patient Watch Digital Pain Diary Solution
While the study used paper diaries, the researchers noted that digital solutions could address many of the limitations they encountered. This is where Patient Watch's Digital Pain Diary offers significant advantages:
🚀 How Patient Watch Enhances PIFU
Real-Time Tracking
Automated reminders ensure consistent pain recording
Smart Alerts
Notifies clinicians when pain patterns indicate need for review
Advanced Analytics
Visualizes pain trends for better clinical decision-making
Patient Watch's digital solution addresses the key limitations identified in the study:
- 📱 Accessibility: Mobile app ensures patients can record pain anywhere, anytime
- 🔄 Consistency: Automated reminders improve compliance with regular recording
- 👥 Vulnerable Patients: Identifies non-responders who may need additional support
- 📈 Data Quality: Prevents retrospective completion with timestamped entries
- 🔒 Data Sharing: Securely shares information with the entire care team
💰 Cost Savings and Efficiency Gains
The financial impact of implementing patient-initiated follow-up with pain diaries is substantial. The study calculated potential savings based on avoided appointments:
| Approach | Follow-ups Required | Cost (per 100 patients) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 6-8 Week | 100 appointments | £10,000-£20,000 |
| With PIFU & Pain Diary | 9 appointments | £900-£1,800 |
| Potential Savings | 91 appointments | £9,100-£18,200 |
With Patient Watch's digital solution, these savings can be even greater through:
Reduction in Unnecessary Appointments
Streamlined patient care
Potential Savings
Per 100 patients annually
Annual Injections
At Royal Surrey Hospital
🔄 Beyond Foot and Ankle: Wider Applications
While this study focused on foot and ankle injections, Patient Watch's digital pain diary solution extends to multiple medical specialties. Our platform helps track patient outcomes across:
🏃 Sports Medicine
Shockwave Therapy
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendinopathy
- Tennis/golfer's elbow
PRP Injections
- Muscle strains
- Ligament injuries
- Return-to-play protocols
Performance Tracking
- Rehabilitation progress
- Athletic recovery
- Training load management
🩺 Pain Management
Steroid Injections
- Joint inflammation
- Trigger point therapy
- Epidural administration
Nerve Blocks
- Peripheral nerve blocks
- Facet joint injections
- Radiofrequency ablation
Medication Efficacy
- Opioid reduction
- Multimodal therapy
- Chronic pain patterns
🦴 Orthopaedics
Joint Procedures
- Knee replacements
- Hip arthroplasty
- Shoulder reconstruction
Fracture Management
- Post-surgical healing
- Non-union monitoring
- Weight-bearing progression
Surgical Outcomes
- Recovery milestones
- Functional improvement
- Patient satisfaction
MSK Radiology: Supporting All Specialties
Musculoskeletal radiology provides crucial diagnostic support across all these specialties, with Patient Watch helping to correlate imaging findings with patient-reported outcomes.
Potential Impact at Scale
While this study was conducted by a foot and ankle team at Royal Surrey, the principles could apply to all injection treatments across medical specialties:
Current Scale at Royal Surrey
- Approximately 5,000 injections performed annually
- Based on study findings, potential for significant reduction in unnecessary follow-ups
- Could improve clinic capacity and waiting times
Potential Applications
- Image-guided injections
- Joint and soft tissue procedures
- Therapeutic and diagnostic injections
- Multi-specialty implementation
Note: The original study demonstrated savings of £9,500-£19,000 per 100 patients. Further research is needed to validate these findings across different specialties and at larger scales.
🛠️ Implementation Challenges and Solutions
The study identified several challenges to implementing patient-initiated follow-up with pain diaries. Here's how Patient Watch addresses each one:
| Challenge | Patient Watch Solution |
|---|---|
| Patient Engagement | User-friendly mobile app with gamification elements (92% compliance rate) |
| Digital Literacy | Simple interface with optional caregiver access for less tech-savvy patients |
| Vulnerable Patients | Automated alerts for non-responders with proactive outreach protocols |
| Cultural Change | Comprehensive implementation support and staff training program |
| Data Accuracy | Time-stamped entries prevent retrospective completion |
💡 Implementation Considerations
When implementing a digital pain diary and PIFU system, organizations might expect to see:
- Reduction in unnecessary follow-up appointments
- Potential cost savings from optimized appointment scheduling
- Improved clinic capacity for new patients
- Better patient engagement in their care journey
🎯 Conclusion and Next Steps
The Royal Surrey study provides compelling evidence that patient-initiated follow-up with pain diaries can dramatically improve efficiency and patient care after orthopedic injections. By moving away from arbitrary follow-up schedules to a patient-centered approach, healthcare providers can:
- Reduce unnecessary appointments by up to 91%
- Save £9,500-£19,000 per 100 patients annually
- Improve patient satisfaction and engagement
- Gather valuable data on treatment outcomes
- Allocate clinical resources more effectively
Patient Watch's digital pain diary solution builds on these findings, addressing the limitations of paper-based systems while enhancing the benefits of patient-initiated follow-up. By combining clinical research with innovative technology, we're helping healthcare providers deliver more efficient, patient-centered care.
📚 References
Fan, K.S., Haq, I., Taha, A. et al. (2025). Efficient patient-initiated follow-up after orthopaedic injections. European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology, 35, 77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-025-04193-9
Transform Your Practice with Digital Pain Tracking
Join the healthcare providers who are revolutionizing patient care with digital pain diaries. Book a demo to see how Patient Watch can help you:
- ✓ Reduce unnecessary appointments by up to 91%
- ✓ Save thousands in healthcare costs
- ✓ Improve patient satisfaction
- ✓ Make data-driven clinical decisions