Exploring Patient Perspectives Surrounding Telemedicine Versus In-Person Preoperative Visits

Abstract

Importance Telemedicine was increasingly used to provide patients with an alternative to in-office visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. While previous studies have described the role of telemedicine for preoperative visits for other surgical specialties, the role of this modality in preoperative visits for gynecologic surgery has not been thoroughly explored.Objectives The aims of the study are to explore and compare patient experience, decision making, and satisfaction among women undergoing telemedicine or in-person preoperative visits. Study Design This was a qualitative study of women who underwent a preoperative appointment with a urogynecologic surgeon or minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon at a single academic institution from April to May of 2021. Data were collected using semistructured phone interviews, which focused on visit content, visit type decision making, surgical preparedness/confidence, and past surgical experiences. Interviews were thematically analyzed until theoretical saturation was achieved in accordance with grounded theory. Results Theoretical saturation occurred with 20 interviews. Participants were evenly divided between in-person and telemedicine visits. Major themes included visit content, experience/quality, surgeon perception, and surgical preparedness. Advantages of telemedicine visits were convenience and safety. Advantages of in-person visits were social factors, perceived medical or surgical severity, and preoperative physical examination. Disadvantages for telemedicine visits included technology concerns and difficulty accessing preoperative materials. The disadvantage of an in-person visit was the inability to have family present because of COVID hospital policy restrictions. Participants in both groups felt prepared for surgery and reported high satisfaction with their care. Conclusions Decision making for selecting an in-person or telemedicine visit is complex and involves balancing multiple advantages and disadvantages. Participant experience was similar for both visit types with high satisfaction.

Teleconsulta Pré-Operatória Ambulatorial: Uma Revisão Integrativa

“…Foram selecionados 11 (100%) estudos, apresentados no fluxograma Prisma adaptado na Figura 1. As publicações foram identificadas nas bases da Embase (5; 45,5%) (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) , Medline (5; 45,5%) (16)(17)(18)(19)(20) e Cinahl (1; 9%) (21) . Referente à origem das publicações, observou-se o maior número de publicações dos Estados Unidos (6; 54,5%) (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) .…”

“…As publicações foram identificadas nas bases da Embase (5; 45,5%) (11)(12)(13)(14)(15) , Medline (5; 45,5%) (16)(17)(18)(19)(20) e Cinahl (1; 9%) (21) . Referente à origem das publicações, observou-se o maior número de publicações dos Estados Unidos (6; 54,5%) (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) . Outros países como França (13) , Alemanha (12) , Arábia Saudita (14) , Canadá (15) e Portugal (11) tiveram 1 publicação cada (9%).…”

“…Figura -1 Fluxograma PRISMA de seleção dos estudos Fonte: adaptada de Page et al (8) Os anos de publicação compreenderam de 2018 a 2023, sendo 3 (27%) estudos publicados em 2018 (13,14,21) , 2 (18%) em 2019 (11,20) , 1 em 2020 (19) (9%), 2 (18%) em 2021 (12,15) e 3 (27%) em 2022 (16)(17)(18) .…”

Pilot of Outpatient Preoperative Evaluation Through Teleassistance

“…Subsequently, the patient received follow-up care through teleassistance, tailored to their specific surgical needs and comorbidities. Based on the type of surgery and the patient's comorbidities, the Teleconsultants Center assessed the case and provided the necessary guidance [1,2]. The patient was then included in the waitlist for surgery without needing to travel to the hospital until admission.…”

“…By eliminating the need for travel, patients can save on transportation costs and avoid the physical strain associated with commuting, which can be especially challenging for individuals with limited mobility. Additionally, the telemedicine approach can significantly expedite the preparation process for surgical procedures [1].…”