Faculty mentor/PI email address
SMcmillan@virtua.org
Keywords
hip arthroscopy, femoroacetabular impingement, acetabular labral tear, referral delay, diagnostic pathways
IRB or IACUC Protocol Number
G25067
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background: Diagnosing hip pain in young and middle-aged adults remains challenging due to overlapping intra- and extra-articular pathology. Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and acetabular labral tears are increasingly recognized as major contributors to pain, mechanical symptoms, and functional limitation. Despite growing awareness of hip preservation surgery, delays in referral to arthroscopy-trained specialists persist and may contribute to disease progression and inferior outcomes.
Purpose: To evaluate delays in surgical management among patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for labral pathology and identify factors contributing to delayed referral to hip preservation specialists.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing hip arthroscopy between May 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Patients older than 18 years were included. Exclusion criteria included conversion to total hip arthroplasty within one year, transfer of care, or prior contralateral procedures. Data were collected through patient surveys and retrospective chart review. Primary outcomes included the number of healthcare providers consulted prior to specialist evaluation and time from initial clinical presentation to specialist assessment.
Results: Patients consulted a mean of 3.17±2.11 providers prior to specialist evaluation, with 29.27% seeing four or more providers. The mean time to specialist evaluation was 412.73 days, indicating substantial delays in care.
Conclusions: Patients experience prolonged delays prior to referral for hip arthroscopy, often exceeding one year. These findings highlight inefficiencies in current referral pathways. Improved provider education, standardized referral criteria, and earlier recognition of hip pathology may help reduce delays and optimize patient outcomes.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Musculoskeletal Diseases | Surgery
Included in
Delay in Care due to High Number of Provider Evaluations in Hip Arthroscopy
Background: Diagnosing hip pain in young and middle-aged adults remains challenging due to overlapping intra- and extra-articular pathology. Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and acetabular labral tears are increasingly recognized as major contributors to pain, mechanical symptoms, and functional limitation. Despite growing awareness of hip preservation surgery, delays in referral to arthroscopy-trained specialists persist and may contribute to disease progression and inferior outcomes.
Purpose: To evaluate delays in surgical management among patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for labral pathology and identify factors contributing to delayed referral to hip preservation specialists.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing hip arthroscopy between May 1, 2024, and August 31, 2025. Patients older than 18 years were included. Exclusion criteria included conversion to total hip arthroplasty within one year, transfer of care, or prior contralateral procedures. Data were collected through patient surveys and retrospective chart review. Primary outcomes included the number of healthcare providers consulted prior to specialist evaluation and time from initial clinical presentation to specialist assessment.
Results: Patients consulted a mean of 3.17±2.11 providers prior to specialist evaluation, with 29.27% seeing four or more providers. The mean time to specialist evaluation was 412.73 days, indicating substantial delays in care.
Conclusions: Patients experience prolonged delays prior to referral for hip arthroscopy, often exceeding one year. These findings highlight inefficiencies in current referral pathways. Improved provider education, standardized referral criteria, and earlier recognition of hip pathology may help reduce delays and optimize patient outcomes.