16-3 Physical education for patients discharged from the orthopedic emergency room

Physical education for patients discharged from the orthopedic emergency room: A clinical report
Ziva Ginosar, Devorah Israeli, Zipi Knol, Rachel Zilberman, Judith Shwartz, Adva Lear 

Abstract 

At the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa and in collaboration with Haifa and Western Galilee region, a physical management program has been established to educate elderly people (60+ years-old) on how to care for their physical condition after being  discharged from the orthopedic E.R with fractures, splints, pain and malfunction in activities of daily living.
The physical therapy education program includes education by telephone and if necessary education at the patient's place of residence.
In the professional literature, there is evidence of the significant role that early education plays in pain management, prevention of complications, and rapid return to function. It was also found that early education saves money for the health system.
Criteria were set for including people in the project, a software program was designed for this purpose, and physicians' cooperation was assured. As a result, the discharge letters of people who met the program's inclusion criteria are reviewed daily and based on a telephone call to the patient, it is decided whether education by the telephone is sufficient or if there is need for a physiotherapist to conduct a home education visit. Participants expressed satisfaction with the program.

Key words: discharge from emergency room, telephone education, home education, physiotherapy.