Patient Resources that Help to Make the Most of Your Time 

Angelique Berg, CEO
Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation 

How many patients have come to their first consult loaded with information from the Internet? Wouldn't it be helpful to have a reliable, surgeon-reviewed resource to direct them to? 

It exists. www.canorth.org is the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation's web site, written to help patients learn about the care path and their treatment, and is reviewed by the Foundation's national Medical & Scientific Review Committee.

What's more, it's possible to get this resource to patients before they reach your office. Taking a cue from pre-consult direction provided by oncologists, the Foundation created a letter for orthopaedic surgeons to send to referring physicians for their new patients [see next article] when confirming the first appointment. Just add your office's stamp, copy it, and you can begin using it today. 

The resources listed on the letter are delivered by computer, mail or phone, right to the patient's home. That's important to patients when distance or mobility is a barrier, and doesn't require more time from you. Also, these resources are relevant across jurisdictions so that they transcend regional differences and complement local resources.

All are housed at www.canorth.org. Here, patients will find:

• Anatomical and physiological diagrams and explanations
• Explanations of the care path and the health care team
• Overviews of common surgeries
• Planning for Maximal Results, a 40-page booklet that guides patients from first consult to restored mobility*
• OrthoLink newsletter with tips to help people build, keep and restore their bone and joint health*

* Listed on letter and available in hard copy by calling 1-800-461-3639.

Once it is confirmed that surgery is required, patients can access personalized support. The Foundation's Ortho Connect peer support program matches new patients by phone with a trained volunteer for a real-world patient's perspective. Volunteers are matched to the patient's specifications: age, gender, type of surgery, geographic location, language spoken, and more for as many commonalities as possible. This dynamic adds a level of comfort and understanding that only another patient can provide.

With greater knowledge and understanding early in the care path, a patient may have greater confidence throughout their journey - and you might reclaim some precious time.