Preparing for Autistic Patients in Orthopaedic Surgery

What is it about?

Medical visits can be very difficult and somewhat challenging for people with autism. This article provides orthopedic professionals with tips and strategies about how to make the experience more successful for patients with autism and their caregivers. This article covers outpatient, perioperative, inpatient, and post visit considerations and management strategies for patients with autism. This comprehensive article is a great resource for orthopedic professionals and others who may want to better understand some of the challenges and opportunities associated with providing care to patients with autism. In addition, a summary of key recommendations is provided.

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Why is it important?

ABSTRACT: The prevalence of autism in the United States has been climbing for the last 3 decades, and this comes at a time when the medical community is poorly equipped to address the various needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Because busy orthopaedic surgery practices will invariably encounter more patients with ASD, they may want to develop pragmatic strategies and protocols that will promote a successful health-care interaction with these patients.

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