A family practice orthopedic trauma clinic.

In order to help provide care for acute orthopedic injuries to a portion of a military patient population and to add simultaneously a new aspect to the orthopedic rotation of family practice residents, a family practice orthopedic trauma clinic, staffed solely by family physicians, was initiated, and the records for six months were examined and summarized. A total of 540 patient visits, 286 (52.9 percent) of whom were adults during 45 sessions of this clinic were noted. Fractures accounted for 79.2 percent of the injuries, while sprains and contusions accounted for 17.7 and 3.1 percent, respectively. The most frequent injuries were fractures of the radius, fractures of hand phalanges, and ankle sprains. Orthopedic consultation was obtained at 88 (16.2 percent) of the patient visits. The results of this study indicate that family physicians can effectively manage the majority of nonsurgical, acute orthopedic injuries and that a clinic of this type may be a valuable addition to the orthopedic rotation of a family practice residencies.