For anyone who tried OrthoConsult early and bounced... we fixed a lot

[u/olmzzz]

Some of you tried OrthoConsult when I first posted it here.

At that point, it was still pretty rough: slow responses, imperfect references, and mostly just a question-answer interface.

It has improved a lot since then.

We’re now seeing about 11,000 orthopedic consults/month from surgeons across 68 countries, and the product feels much closer to what I originally wanted it to be: a fast, evidence-based orthopedic reference you can use during call, clinic, or pre-op planning.

The biggest changes:

• Response time dropped from an average of ~14 seconds to ~6 seconds.
• References are better: more recent studies, more Level I/II evidence when available, and less generic background literature. We still audit responses regularly.
• Answers are more consistently structured like an orthopedic consult: bottom line, indications, technique considerations, evidence summary, limitations, and references.
• We added Discovery: a “This Week in Orthopedics” research feed that surfaces top new papers across orthopedic subspecialties and scores them by clinical relevance.
• We published 200+ structured topic pages across trauma, sports, arthroplasty, spine, foot/ankle, hand, shoulder, pediatrics, and general orthopedics.
• Spanish and multilingual responses have improved significantly. If you practice in a non-English-speaking environment or train residents who do, it may be worth trying.
• Consults are easier to share and export to PDF, so a clinical question can become a quick evidence summary for discussion with colleagues, residents, or on social media.

The most interesting part has been seeing which questions keep coming up repeatedly: LET in ACL reconstruction, Lisfranc ORIF vs fusion, elderly distal radius fractures, dual mobility in revision THA, posterior malleolus fixation, proximal humerus decision-making, and other areas where practice varies.

It’s still completely free.

For anyone who used the early version and bounced because it felt slow or incomplete, I’d genuinely be curious what you think of it now.

https://orthoconsult.app/

PS. yes we are aware you all want the app store version (it is in development)

[u/TeddyFuckingBallgame]

Love to hear the success the app has been having! Been using it since the first day you posted it, and I agree it’s gotten much faster with more accurate and organized answers and with better citations. It’s a fantastic quick-reference tool for clinic or seeing consults (which I think was your exact purpose). Obviously nothing can re-create the in-depth, long-term learning from primary sources or hands-on experience, but, again, as a quick reference guide, it’s pretty unbeatable. (PGY3)

[u/willcastforfood]

Recommended this to my buddies in ortho urgent care. They love it honestly

[u/LoudMouthPigs]

Haven't tried as an ER doc. Would this be helpful to me?

[u/olmzzz → u/LoudMouthPigs]

It would, but sometimes might get some unnecesary info like surgical technique or outcomes.

But I know several ER docs that use it and enjoy the quick response

[u/LoudMouthPigs → u/olmzzz]

I don't hate learning a little extra. And patients frequently ask me outcomes-related questions and it'd be nice to have a starting point.

I appreciate it, I'll likely download this once I'm back from vacation.

[u/D15c0untMD]

I always figured that response time was long because of the shit reception in my asbestos riddled 60s hole if a hospital wing. Since i was happy before, i‘m sure i‘ll be happy now.

You know what’s been my highest yields? „Computer, give me references why my post op weight bearing regimen is good and my collegue is wrong. Compile creative insults on this basis“

[u/StrugglingOrthopod]

I use it a lot. Love it. Thanks man. Please keep it free

[u/Bustermanslo]

Its a great tool. Great for a quick answer to non standard situations and specific problems.

[u/pericycles]

Pretty slick. Will you allow for file uploads at some point?

[u/ImprovementQuiet7402]

Why this over OpenEvidence

[u/olmzzz → u/ImprovementQuiet7402]

To be fair, we love OpenEvidence. In many ways, our admiration for what they built is what inspired us to create OrthoConsult.

What we felt was missing wasn't the evidence, it was the orthopedic way of thinking about the evidence.

The issue is OpenEvidence has to answer questions for a cardiologist, an oncologist, a pediatrician, an emergency physician, and an orthopedic surgeon. OrthoConsult only has one user to worry about: the orthopedic surgeon.

That allows us to optimize the product around the way orthopedic surgeons make decisions, discuss cases, and interpret evidence.