Access Ortho was opened in 2018 in Indooroopilly. It was the brainchild of two Orthopaedic Surgeons and a Practice Manager who saw a gap for urgent orthopaedic care in the medical system.
The founder’s goal was to minimise long waits, streamline diagnostic and treatment processes, and provide access to orthopaedic specialist care rapidly. All whilst remaining affordable.
In 2023 Access Ortho expanded to open a second clinic in Ipswich.
It now has 8 Orthopaedic Surgeons, an Emergency Physician, a General Practitioner and 6 Nurse Practitioners on its team and is still growing.
THE GAP IN ORTHOPAEDIC CARE
When an injury occurs, it can be hard to know whom to see. Prior to Access Ortho opening, options included attending your GP, attending the local Emergency Department or Urgent Care Centre, having a physiotherapist, or finding a private orthopaedic surgeon.
GPs are most people’s first point of contact; however, getting an urgent appointment can often be difficult. In addition, they may not have the time or resources to apply a plaster cast or other immobilisation device if required. Furthermore, whilst they are excellent at managing a wide range of medical conditions, they are not orthopaedic specialists and may not have the expertise to be able to provide comprehensive information and a longer-term management plan for all injuries. After each appointment at Access Ortho, we will send a letter to your GP ensuring they are kept up to date with your care.
Private orthopaedic surgeons are obviously excellent at orthopaedic care but have busy schedules and limited availability for urgent cases. Therefore, you will often need to call many orthopaedic practices before being able to get an appointment that suits you and your injury. You will also need to see your GP prior to the orthopaedic surgeon to get a referral.
Emergency Departments and Urgent Care Centres are excellent at providing rapid care. For all life-threatening injuries or if you can see a bone protruding through your skin, Emergency Departments are where you should seek medical attention. They are, however, not staffed with specialists in orthopaedics, and whilst you will receive acute management of your injury, they will be unable to provide you with a longer-term treatment plan. After attending a Private Emergency Department, you will then need to find follow-up care with a private orthopaedic specialist. This may also involve seeing your GP for a referral and calling many private surgeons’ rooms for a suitable timely appointment.
After attending a public Emergency Department, you will likely be referred to a Public Hospital Fracture clinic. These clinics are staffed by consultant and trainee orthopaedic surgeons. You will receive excellent care but can wait a long time to get an appointment and your visits may take many hours as they see large numbers of patients during each clinic.
Physiotherapists play a very important role in many patients’ rehabilitation and Access Ortho works closely with physiotherapists in the care of our patients. However, physiotherapists may not be able to diagnose all injuries, provide comprehensive orthopaedic care or discuss the need for surgery as required. Therefore, being treated by an orthopaedic specialist and working along with a physiotherapist is ideal.
Access Ortho offers a new Level of Orthopaedic care
The Orthopaedic Surgeons who founded Access Ortho realised there was no preexisting ideal way to treat urgent orthopaedic injuries. They developed a new level of Orthopaedic care and founded Access Ortho.
Access Ortho is staffed by medical practitioners who all specialise in Orthopaedics. Rapid appointments, typically the same day, can be made. Our Access Ortho medical staff will assess your injury, arrange required radiology and make an informed diagnosis. Radiology centres are located close to our clinics and scans will be arranged as needed and then reviewed during your first visit. You will be informed of your diagnosis and injury, and a treatment plan established. If you require a cast or other immobilisation device, we stock many of these on site and will fit it specifically for you and your injury. Some hand injuries may require specialised custom-made splints for optimal management. We will refer you to a hand therapists to assist with this. You will leave your first visit at Access Ortho with all the information you need to make plans for work, school, sport and general care.
Access Ortho runs multiple orthopaedic specialist clinics every week. We will arrange follow up care at a suitable time for your injury in these clinics. This may be in a few days or a few weeks depending on your injury and the time frame from the date of your injury. At your follow up appointments, you will be reassessed to determine if your injury is healing or if a change of treatment plan needs to occur. If you require an operation, Access Ortho can help you find a surgeon either publicly or privately. If you do not require surgery, you will attend our clinic until you make a full recovery.
Our goal is to take the pain out of finding treatment for your injury.
Experience a new level of orthopaedic care.