Publications

OBJECTIVE

To examine the impact of insurance status on access to orthopaedic care and incidence of surgical site complications in patients with closed unstable ankle fractures.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Certified Level-1 urban trauma center and county facility.

PARTICIPANTS

Four hundred eighty-nine patients with closed unstable ankle fractures undergoing open reduction and internal fixation between 2014 and 2016.

INTERVENTION

Open reduction and internal fixation of unstable ankle fracture.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Time from injury to presentation, time from injury to surgery, rate of surgical site infections, and loss to follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 489 patients (70.5% uninsured vs. 29.5% insured) were enrolled. Uninsured patients were more likely to be present to an outside hospital first (P = 0.004). Time from injury to presentation at our hospital was significantly longer in uninsured patients (4.5 ± 7.6 days vs. 2.3 ± 5.5 days, P < 0.001). Time from injury to surgery was significantly longer in uninsured patient (9.4 ± 8.5 days vs. 7.3 ± 9.1 days, P < 0.001). Uninsured patients were more likely to be lost to postoperative follow-up care (P = 0.002). A logistic regression analysis demonstrated that delayed surgical timing was directly associated with an increased risk of postoperative surgical site infection (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Uninsured patients with ankle fractures requiring surgery experience significant barriers regarding access to health care. Delay of surgical management significantly increases the risk of surgical site infections in closed unstable ankle fractures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BACKGROUND

Due to concerns of inadequate primary care access, national agencies like the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) support primary care (PC) residencies. Recent research demonstrates that up to 35% of PC alumni lost interest in PC during residency. These alumni who lost interest noted that their continuity clinic experience influenced their career choice. The purpose of this study was to identify the specific aspects of PC residency experience that influenced career choice.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional electronic survey of a PC internal medicine alumni cohort (2000-2015) from a large, academic residency. Our primary predictor was PC career and our primary outcome was influential factors on career choice. We performed chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables and t tests for continuous variables.

RESULTS

Of the 317 PC alumni in the last 15 years, 305 were contacted. One hundred seventy-two (56%) responded with 94 (55%) reporting current careers in PC and 78 (45%) in non-PC fields. Ninety-four percent of respondents expressed interest prior to residency, while only 68% remained interested at the conclusion of residency. Sixty-one percent of PC alumni rated the overall clinic experience as the most influential factor towards their ultimate career choice. The patient-physician relationship was the most frequently endorsed positively influential factor in career choice in both groups (95% of PC alumni, 76% non-PC). There was no difference among all alumni in common frustrations of clinic including clerical duties, encounter documentation, or visit length. Similarly, resident debt did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Strong interpersonal relationships with patients and clinic mentors were associated with a PC career. These factors may compensate for the reported frustrations of clinic. Enhancing patient and mentor relationships may increase the retention of PC residents in ambulatory careers and may help address the current and projected shortage of primary care physicians.