Application of a Quick Response Code as an Alternative Method to Provide Pediatric Cast Care Instructions

BACKGROUND: There is a growing need to improve patient education for nonsurgical fracture care in children. A Quick Response (QR) code was used as an alternative method to provide cast care instructions in our outpatient fracture clinic. We evaluated satisfaction and examined the convenience and impact this might have on the child's casting experience. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in which QR codes were embedded in the casting of nonsurgical pediatric fractures in 88 children. The number of times the QR code was scanned, who scanned the code, treatment satisfaction, cast-related issues, and whether scan helped prevent a call to the treating physician were recorded. RESULTS: Google Analytics showed the QR code was scanned an average of 1.6 times by 60 participants with most scans done by a parent (65%). Seventy-nine participants (89.9%) found it useful to have the QR code on their cast, and 65 (73.9%) were "very satisfied" with the convenience of the QR code and 37 stated that the information they found kept them from contacting the physician. DISCUSSION: We demonstrated that the use of QR codes for nonsurgical pediatric fracture care has a high level of satisfaction and may reduce calls to the treating physician.