Evaluating the outcomes of Australia's first all-age public hospital Sport and Exercise Medicine Outpatient Clinic: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of Australia's first public hospital all-age Sport and Exercise Medicine Outpatient Clinic (SEMOC). Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study of patients referred to and reviewed in the SEMOC, during a study period from March to October 2023, was performed. Outcomes were the number of appointments, number of patients reviewed, proportion reviewed within Queensland Health recommended timeframes, patient satisfaction, proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, and the rurality of the patients based on the Modified Monash Model of remoteness. Results There were 29 clinics, 472 allocated appointments, and 270 new patients referred to the SEMOC (1.7 appointments per patient). Almost a quarter (23.7%) of patients identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and a third (31.9%) were from rural or remote regions. Most (88.7%) patients referred during the study period were seen within the Queensland Health recommended timeframes, and almost all patients referred on for orthopaedic review were booked for surgery (93.6%). Over 90% of patients were satisfied with the quality of treatment they received and rated the overall service as good to excellent. Conclusion A SEMOC public hospital model has been shown to be feasible for providing care to patients with musculoskeletal conditions, reaching patients who face barriers to health care, reducing wait times, and improving referral for surgery. The model may assist in meeting Australia's growing demand for orthopaedic and musculoskeletal medicine and expand within Australia's public hospital system to become a nationally accepted practice.