DOS 2018

254 · DOS Abstracts Room for improvement regarding patient continuity in our outpatient clinic led by orthopedic residents. Rune Vinther Madsen, Signe Rosenlund, Susanne Mallet Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Zealand University Hospital , Køge , Denmark. Background: Care continuity may have the potential to improve treatment re- sults for patients. Additionally, educational and learning advantages for ortho- pedic residents can come from seeing a patient again. We found no studies that previously have described patient continuity in an orthopedic setting. Purpose / Aim of Study: This study aimed to quantify and intervene on pa- tient continuity for orthopedic residents in the outpatient clinic in a department with acute function. Materials andMethods: Initially, we retrospectively analyzed consecutive out- patients in 2017 (134 patients) for the youngest residents in the Department of Orthopedics, Køge, Denmark. 8 residents then participated in an intervention campaign on improving patient continuity with a presentation at a staff meet- ing, followed up by reminding emails, posters and oral reminders. Afterwards we re-quantified 155 consecutive patients in early 2018 to see for an effect of our intervention. We excluded newly referred patients and no-show patients. We divided the results in 3 categories: 1) optimizable, 2) not optimizable, 3) perfect continuity. Findings / Results: Prior to the intervention and after exclusion as described, continuity was optimizable for 35/105 (33,3%), not optimizable for 56/105 (53,3%) and perfect for 14/105 (13,3%). Post-intervention numbers were after exclusions: 41/123 (33,3%), 72/123 (58,5%) and 10/123 (8,1%). The invention did not significantly improve the proportion of perfect continuity (p=0,20) after exclusion. Conclusions: Our intervention campaign did not significantly improve outpa- tient continuity for the orthopedic residents. Future efforts to improve con- tinuity should likely focus on other factors such as residents duty schedule to influence the continuity of care. 195.