Collection of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in orthopaedic patients at safety-net hospitals is challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of electronic PROM (E-PROM) collection in this setting.

A retrospective review identified 207 consecutive orthopaedic patients undergoing 77 elective arthroplasty procedures and 130 trauma procedures. E-PROMs were collected through automated e-mails from an online patient engagement platform (PatientIQ) at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months postoperatively. Patients with trauma received the percentage of normal Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE) and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System–Physical Function (PROMIS-PF). Arthroplasty patients received the Hip/Knee SANE, Hip/Knee Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Joint Replacement (HOOS Jr/KOOS Jr), PROMIS Global Physical Health (PROMIS-G-PH), and Veterans RAND 12-Item (VR-12) Health Survey.

Compared with patients with trauma, arthroplasty patients were older (median difference 18.0 years; 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.0-22.0; P < 0.0001), more likely to be Hispanic/Black (proportional difference 16.9%; CI 2.8-30.3%; P = 0.02), more likely to have noncommercial or no insurance (proportional difference 34.0%; CI 23.2-43.0%; P < 0.001), and did not differ in Area Deprivation Index or E-PROM completion at each time point. E-PROMs were completed at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months by 25.1% (52 of 207), 24.6% (51 of 207), and 21.7% (45 of 207) of all patients, respectively. Trauma and arthroplasty patients had a similar rate of partial E-PROM completion. Patients who completed 3-month E-PROMs were less likely to be Hispanic/Black (PD −16.4%; CI −31.0 to −0.2%; P < 0.04); less likely to have noncommercial/no insurance (PD −20.0%; CI −35.5 to −4.5%; P = 0.01); and did not differ in age, sex, Area Deprivation Index, or procedure type.

The low collection rate of E-PROMs from orthopaedic patients at safety-net hospitals should be weighed against their costs. E-PROM collection may exacerbate disparities in PROM collection among certain patient populations.

Diagnostic Level III.