Impact of Monthly Orthopedic Clinic at Fourth Street Clinic

Title: Impact of Monthly Orthopedic Clinic at Fourth Street Clinic
Authors: Nate Behrens, Tanner Heaton
Date: 1/27/2025
Abstract: The Fourth Street Clinic is a free clinic dedicated to addressing health disparities among underserved populations. Orthopedic conditions are prevalent in these communities due to manual labor, delayed care, and limited access to specialty services. The monthly orthopedic clinic, led by medical students and supervised by orthopedic surgeons, aims to provide free, high-quality musculoskeletal care. Objectives include improving patient mobility, reducing pain, and fostering medical education for future providers in community settings. Patients were referred by Fourth Street Clinic primary care providers for orthopedic evaluation. Each clinic session included triage, evaluation, and treatment planning. Medical students conducted initial evaluations, presented findings to supervising orthopedic surgeons, and participated in patient education. Data on patient demographics, presenting complaints, and interventions were recorded. Patients received follow-up care as needed through the clinic or referral networks. Over six months, the clinic served 26 patients, addressing conditions such as chronic joint pain (50%), acute musculoskeletal injuries (43%), and deformity management (7%). Interventions included intra-articular injections (33%), physical therapy referrals (10%), and surgical consultation arrangements (5%). Approximately one half of patients had follow-up visits and among these, concerns regarding the initial complaint resolved for the vast majority (85%). Students reported enhanced diagnostic skills and a greater understanding of barriers to specialty care in underserved populations.  The orthopedic clinic demonstrates the impact of specialty care integration in free clinics. By addressing musculoskeletal conditions, the program improves patients’ quality of life and builds capacity among medical trainees. Future directions include expanding clinic capacity, assessing long-term patient outcomes, and fostering interprofessional collaborations to enhance service delivery.

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Impact of Monthly Orthopedic Clinic at Fourth Street Clinic by Nate Behrens & Tanner Heaton