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In some instances, patients with serious injuries
such as exposed fractures can be operated on
the same day they enter the clinic, depending on
preauthorization from their insurance carriers.
Patients who need follow-up surgery often
come back to the surgery center to have the
procedure performed.
Dr. Lee and her colleagues treat patients of all
ages — as young as 4 years to as old as 97 years
so far — who show up with a variety of ail-
ments, although most are injuries to the hand,
wrist, ankle and knee. She recently treated a
woman with an acute wrist fracture. She X-rayed the joint, reduced the fracture,
braced the wrist and scheduled the patient for a follow-up appointment with
one of the practice's wrist specialists. It's OA policy that patients who need fol-
low-up surgical care meet with one of the group's surgeons within 48 hours of
their visit to the clinic.
Dr. Lee has also seen her share of serious injuries. She coordinated care with
the on-call ortho doc at the local emergency room for a patient with a hip frac-
ture that needed to be pinned immediately and also sent a patient with a possi-
ble skull fracture for an emergency CT scan. "We're not here for emergencies,
we're here for urgent orthopedic issues," says Dr. Lee. "Urgent means some-
thing different to everyone."
Case in point: Dr. Lee recently saw a man complaining of chronic hip pain
that lingered from a hip fracture he suffered 3 years ago. His case represents an
interesting dilemma for facilities and practices interested in running an urgent
care clinic of their own: How do you keep space open for truly emergent cases
and not turn away any potential patient? Where do you draw the line between
emergent and non-emergent care?
"That's a skill we're going to have to develop as we get busier," says Dr. Lee
• READY FOR ANYTHING Caregivers at walk-in
clinics treat a variety of injuries and patients of
all ages.
The
San
Antonio
Orthopedic
Group
