The sudden, sharp pain and the sickening "crack" that came after you fell on your outstretched hand. The swelling and change in shape of your wrist right away. Most people automatically think of a long, stressful, and very expensive trip to the emergency room, followed by a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. But there is a much better way to fix the most common type of broken wrist. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a simpler, more convenient, and much cheaper way to get better, often right from your own doctor's office.
A distal radius fracture is a break in the radius bone, which is one of the two main bones in your forearm, near the wrist. This is the most common broken bone in the body and the most common arm fracture.
The Common Cause: A "FOOSH" injury is one that happens when you fall on an outstretched hand. Older adults, especially women with osteoporosis, and younger people who are active and get hurt while playing sports or doing other things are very likely to get it.
The good news is that most broken wrists don't need surgery. This is the most important thing to know. Most distal radius fractures are "nondisplaced" or "minimally displaced," which means that the broken pieces of bone are still in a stable position. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says that these common fractures heal very well with nonoperative treatment, which usually means putting on a splint and then a cast.
In Direct Primary Care (DPC), members can talk to their doctor whenever they want. The DPC model's focus on access, in-office procedures, and value is a game-changer for common orthopedic injuries like a broken wrist. This is why DPC is the best option for this injury:
A "One-Stop Shop" for Care of Acute Fractures: DPC can make the whole process easier by getting you from injury to treatment in just one afternoon.
Quick Access: You can see your DPC doctor the same day you call or text them after your injury.
Affordable Imaging: Your DPC doctor can send you to a nearby, independent imaging center for an X-ray. The price is usually already set and is much lower than what an ER would charge.
Immediate Care: A lot of DPC doctors are very good at treating broken bones. Once they are sure that the fracture is simple and not displaced, they can put on a sugar-tong splint right there in the office. This lets the swelling happen at first.
Expert, guideline-based care without surgery: DPC is in the best position to give the best care for most wrist fractures.
Convenient Casting: You can go back to your DPC office for a quick follow-up visit to get a formal short-arm cast about a week after the swelling goes down.
How to Stay Out of the ER and Specialist Runaround: This whole process saves you the time and money (often thousands of dollars) of going to the emergency room and seeing an orthopedic specialist for a simple, non-surgical injury that doesn't need surgery.
Follow-up that is ongoing and coordinated: Your DPC doctor will be with you for the whole 6–8 week healing process.
Easy Check-ups: They make sure you go to all the follow-up visits you need to check your cast and take it off.
Close Monitoring: They can keep an eye out for problems like nerve irritation or too much swelling.
A Path to Rehab: They will help you get a referral to a physical therapist who can help you get your wrist strength and range of motion back after the cast comes off.
When to Refer: DPC doctors are very well trained to spot the exact "red flags" that need immediate surgical evaluation, like a lot of bone movement, the bone "tenting" the skin, or any nerve or blood vessel damage. They make sure you only see a surgeon when you really need to.
Case 1: Maria, 68, falls on the ice and hurts her wrist. She calls her DPC doctor, who sees her in an hour at the office. The doctor sends the patient to a nearby imaging center for an X-ray that costs USD 55. The X-ray shows that the distal radius is not broken. The doctor puts a splint on the patient in the office and makes an appointment for the next week to put on a cast. Maria doesn't have to pay the USD 3,500 emergency room bill, and her trusted primary care doctor takes care of all of her fracture care.
Case 2: Ben, who is 35 years old, breaks his wrist while playing basketball. His DPC doctor's X-ray shows a fracture that is very out of place and will probably need surgery. The DPC doctor puts on a temporary splint to keep the patient stable and comfortable. Then, he or she personally calls a local orthopedic surgeon's office to set up an appointment for the next day, making sure that care is transferred quickly and smoothly when it is needed.
A: I hurt my wrist. Do I really have to go to the ER? A: Not always. If the bone isn't sticking out of the skin and your hand feels and looks normal, your DPC doctor's office is usually a much better, faster, and cheaper first stop. They can give you a quick X-ray and treat most wrist fractures right away.
Q: Don't I need an orthopedic surgeon to put my cast on? A: No. Many primary care doctors, especially those who have worked in family medicine or sports medicine, are fully trained and very good at treating common, non-surgical fractures, such as putting on and taking off casts and splints.
Q: How much money can I really save by having my DPC doctor fix my broken wrist? A: The savings are usually very big. The total cost of your fracture care in a DPC practice can be a small fraction—often less than 10–20%—of what you would pay in the traditional insurance-based system. This is because you won't have to pay for an emergency room visit or a separate, expensive orthopedic specialist consultation.
DPC has a clear edge for this very common injury because
Giving care that is both high-quality and affordable: Expertly treating most wrist fractures without surgery, which is the standard of care, saving patients thousands of dollars.
Providing easy, "one-stop" care for fractures: You can often get the diagnosis, splinting, casting, and all the follow-up done in one place that you know and can get to easily.
Making sure you get to the right surgeon at the right time: acting as an expert guide to make sure you get to the right surgeon quickly when you need to.
A broken wrist hurts and gets in the way, but getting it fixed doesn't have to cost a lot of money or take up your whole day. Direct Primary Care is a simpler, more personal, and much cheaper way to get better, and it gives you expert fracture care from the doctor you know and trust.
