Examining the Effectiveness of Telephone Clinics: A Review of a Telephone Foot and Ankle Orthopaedic Clinic in a District General Hospital in the United Kingdom

Introduction: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, significant value has been placed on preventative methods for pathogen spread. One such method is the use of telemedicine via telephone clinics (TC). This article is designed to study TC in a District General Hospital in the United Kingdom. Aims: This clinical audit aims to evaluate the use of a TC in the United Kingdom and assess its effectiveness. It also aims to assess the use of a clinician-led triaging system to select patients who would receive subsequent telephone follow-ups (TFU). Methodology: Two cycles were conducted. The first cycle was conducted in 2020 and the second cycle in 2022. In between the two cycles, a clinician-led triage system was implemented to reduce the number of patients being called back for a face-to-face (FTF) appointment. Data was collected regarding the outcomes of the appointments and compared between the two cycles. Chi-squared test statistical test was employed with a p-value < 0.05 deeming significance. Results: Overall, more discharges were made for 2022 outcomes compared to 2020 outcomes (30% vs 19%; p = 0.03) after employing the clinician-led triage. The number of patients listed for a TFU increased when comparing the 2020 versus 2022 datasets (21% vs 12%; p = 0.026), and the overall number of patients not attending appointments decreased when comparing the 2020 versus 2022 datasets (9% vs 17%; p = 0.033). Conclusion: This article shows that for this particular clinic, an orthopaedic clinician-led triaging system allows for a greater number of patients to be discharged, lessened need for FTF consultations, and increased adherence to appointments by patients. However, much work is yet to be done concerning the long-term consequences and issues of rolling out nationwide telemedicine.