Orthopaedic Care in the U.S.A.

Orthopaedic care is a necessity for many patients and often requires timely evaluation, intervention, and follow-up.Prior research suggests that patients from underrepresented racial groups and those insured through public programs experience barriers to accessing this care.This review examines published studies from 2010-2025 that evaluate disparities in orthopaedic care in the United States across multiple stages of treatment, including diagnosis, surgical intervention, and rehabilitation.Articles were identified through database searches and reviewed to compare patterns of access, wait times, and outcomes by race and socioeconomic status.Across the reviewed literature, disparities were consistently observed throughout the orthopaedic care process, indicating persistent inequities in access and outcomes.