According to a recent study on patient confidence and understanding post-appointment, three in four patients leave the office confused and dissatisfied. This often leads to challenges in areas like patient adherence to treatment and retention.

Patients are confused by the language doctors use, dissatisfied with the little amount of time spent discussing diagnoses and treatments, and often turn to the internet after appointments for further consultation.

An easy way to help your patients feel knowledgeable about their conditions and confident about their treatment —and keep them coming back to your office—is to offer orthopaedic handouts specific to their educational needs.

Handouts should be comprehensive but not exhausting, illustrative, and allow your patient to come up with any further questions for their next appointment. Read on for the best orthopaedic patient handouts. 

1. OrthoInfo

OrthoInfo is an online orthopaedic patient education hub developed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The website, filled with hundreds of simple articles, videos, and informational printouts, was developed to make it easier for orthopaedic caregivers to have discussions with patients and families.

OrthoInfo focuses heavily on providing unbiased, trustworthy resources in a variety of formats.

Patient Handouts Provided By OrthoInfo

OrthoInfo provides the following handouts for orthopaedic practices to distribute:

  • About your back
  • About your knee
  • After your joint replacement surgery
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Cast care
  • Frozen shoulder
  • Hip osteoarthritis
  • Knee osteoarthritis
  • Low back pain
  • Rotator cuff tears
  • Scoliosis in children

Why We Like OrthoInfo Handouts

OrthoInfo handouts are short and sweet, laying out all the basic information a patient would need about different diagnoses, procedures, and treatment/aftercare. Patients get their basic questions answered and resources for more information.

OrthoInfo also allows you to customize handouts with your practice’s logo and contact information for free.

2. Orthogate

OrthoGate is an online gateway of information for both orthopaedic professionals and patients. They offer printable handouts, as well as online articles, videos, and easy-to-digest research study writeups.

Patient Handouts Provided By OrthoGate

OrthoGate offers over 150 articles in the following areas:

  • Ankle
  • Child orthopaedics
  • Elbow
  • Foot
  • General orthopaedics
  • Hand
  • Hip
  • Knee
  • Shoulder
  • Cervical spine
  • Lumbar spine
  • Thoracic spine
  • Wrist

Within each musculoskeletal area are handouts on anatomy, related ailments, and disorders, as well as aftercare information.

Within the general orthopaedics category are guides on general orthopaedic conditions such as gout and arthritis, as well as general problems such as post-surgical infection and common cast care issues.

The child orthopaedics section houses articles on conditions specific to children and adolescents such as panner’s disease of the elbow.

Why We Like OrthoGate Handouts

OrthoGate handouts are short and sweet, with clearly labeled sections, plain language, and just enough info to answer patients’ questions without alienating or overwhelming them.

There are also helpful related documents embedded within handouts. You can print out several relevant documents and create one personalized package for each patient.

3. Concord Orthopaedics

Concord Orthopaedics is a New Hampshire based orthopaedic practice with seven physicians’ offices and two surgery centers.

The practice contains orthopaedic physicians in a range of specialties and works to educate their patients both in the office and through online resources.

Patient Handouts Provided By Concord Orthopaedics

Concord Orthopaedics offers hundreds of handouts in the form of printable PDF booklets. They split their patient education library into musculoskeletal areas, plus general orthopaedics, child orthopaedics, and pain management.

The dedicated pain management section is a unique handout section not offered by OrthoInfo or OrthoGate. You may print out handouts on topics such as:

  • Chronic pain and nutrition
  • Chronic pain and sleep
  • Body talk
  • Relaxation training
  • Spinal cord stimulation
  • Pain pumps
  • An overall guide for the medical approach to pain management

Why We Like Concord Orthopaedics Handouts

Concord Orthopaedics handouts are thorough but enjoyable to read, comprehensive but easy for patients to get through.

Everything you need to know about a condition, from the anatomy of the related musculoskeletal structure to the causes of the condition to the diagnosis itself, as well as treatment options, are packaged in printable booklets.

In fact, this educational handout provider is so focused on helping patients take in and retain information that each booklet includes a blank page at the end titled “Notes” so patients can pick out and write down whatever matters to them. They can also write down any questions they have after reading for you to address during their next appointment.

Improve Patient Care

Increasing patient educational efforts is one great way to improve patient care at your clinic. 

There are several other ways to improve care in general, such as speeding up prior authorizations to reduce patient wait times, winning insurance claims appeals, and successfully managing your medical equipment supply chain so that patients can get all the care and equipment they need from one place.

All of these tasks can be accomplished with SelectOrtho. At SelectOrtho, we provide high-quality DME billing, compliance, claims appeals, and supply chain management software and services. With our help, you can provide the most rapid, focused care possible, which is what every patient is looking for.

IMPROVE PATIENT SATISFACTION