Authors: Mikayla McGrath, Bronwyn Spira, John Grady-Benson, Paul Bruning, Kenneth Kress, Robert Belniak, Gregory J Golladay, Dhanur Damodar
Hartford HealthCare Bone & Joint Institute, Florida Spine Associates, Northside Hospital, Trinity Health of New England.
Abstract
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic forced rapid adoption of digital health tools in orthopaedic surgery. How the pandemic affected orthopaedic physicians' perceptions of digital health has not been systematically evaluated.
Methods
Orthopaedic surgeons were surveyed regarding their perceptions and use of digital health tools including telehealth and digital patient engagement platforms before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
The majority of respondents reported increased use of and greater perceived utility for digital health tools during the pandemic, with most indicating plans to maintain or increase digital health utilization post-pandemic.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic substantially shifted orthopaedic physicians' perceptions of digital health toward greater acceptance, with important implications for the future of digital orthopaedic care delivery.