1161 The Financial Impact of Electric Scooter Orthopaedic Injuries at a Large District General Hospital in England

Abstract

Abstract Aim Electric scooters are becoming an increasingly popular method of transportation in major urban cities worldwide. As their popularity gains, there are concerns about safety and injuries sustained, of which significant proportion are orthopaedic injuries. The aim of this study was to see the financial impact of e-scooter related orthopaedic injuries. Method In a retrospective study, we investigated the overall burden and the financial impact of the orthopaedic injuries as a result of the use of e-scooter transportation in a large District General Hospital in England over a 16-month period between September 2020 and December 2021. Results Seventy-nine patients were identified with a mean age of 30.1 years (SD 11.6). Sixty-two of these patients were males and seventeen were females. There were eighty-six orthopaedic injuries, with fractures being the most occurring type of injury. Twenty-three patients required twenty-eight different surgical procedures. The combined theatre and recovery time was 5500 minutes, while the surgical procedures operating time was 2088 minutes. The cost total cost of theatre running time for these patients was £77,000. Seventeen patients required hospital admission under Trauma and Orthopaedics, which accounted for total stay of ninety-nine days with a mean length of stay of 5.8 days per patient. Conclusions We have demonstrated that although there are environmental benefits to e-scooters; there have been a significant increase in healthcare system burden as demonstrated by additional emergency attendances, frequent outpatient clinic appointments, surgical procedures, and hospital inpatient admissions.