Improving patient care in neurosurgery through postoperative telephone calls: a systematic review and lessons from all surgical specialties

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Postoperative telephone calls are a simple intervention that can be used to improve communication with patients, potentially affecting patient safety and satisfaction. Few studies in the neurosurgical literature have examined the effect of a postoperative telephone call on patient outcomes, although several exist across all surgical specialties. The authors performed a systematic review and analyzed studies published since 2000 to assess the effect of a postoperative telephone call or text message on patient safety and satisfaction across all surgical specialties. METHODS A search of PubMed-indexed articles was performed on June 12, 2021, and was narrowed by the inclusion criteria of studies from surgical specialties with > 50 adult patients published after 1999, in which a postoperative telephone call was made and its effects on safety and satisfaction were assessed. Exclusion criteria included dental, medical, and pediatric specialties; systematic reviews; meta-analyses; and non–English-language articles. Dual review was utilized. RESULTS Overall, 24 articles met inclusion criteria. The majority reported an increase in patient satisfaction scores after a postoperative telephone call was implemented, and half of the studies demonstrated an improvement in safety or outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these studies demonstrate that implementation of a postoperative telephone call in a neurosurgical practice is a feasible way to enhance patient care. The major limitations of this study were the heterogeneous group of studies and the limited neurosurgery-specific studies.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Pathways for Aesthetic Breast Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study on Patient-Reported Outcomes

“…Evidence has been presented that preoperative information describing the recovery process reduces the length of hospital stay [ 31 ]. Well-informed patients present faster time to activity and recovery [ 38 ], are more satisfied with their overall outcome [ 41 ], and consume fewer opioids [ 32 ]. Communication gaps and unrealistic expectations increase the risk of postoperative complications [ 33 ].…”

“…Since stress and anxiety influence pain perception, immune function, and wound healing, the ERAS protocol included numerous measures to reduce anxiety. Structured follow-up calls, 12 to 24 h after ambulatory surgery potentially reduces patients’ self-reported pain and anxiety, and improves safety and outcomes by increasing compliance while reducing the traveling times, infrastructure needs, and contagion risk during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 35 – 38 ]. Having cellular telephone access has promising benefits for the patient–physician relationship [ 39 ] and is recommended to account for the risks of hematoma and the rare risk of lidocaine intoxication that may occur in the first 24 h after surgery [ 17 ].…”

Influence of Time of Discharge and Length of Stay on 30-Day Outcomes After Elective Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery

“…41 Remote follow-up, including phone calls, telehealth appointments, and electronic wound checks, may also have a role to play in triaging minor postoperative issues away from acute care. 42…”

Time of Discharge and 30-Day Re-Presentation to an Acute Care Setting After Elective Lumbar Decompression Surgery

“…Finally, we find that, much like in our own cervical spine cohort, most readmissions and re-presentations to acute care occur within 10 days and are largely attributable to surgery itself; as such, it seems that optimized early postdischarge follow-up, perhaps even by telehealth, might have a role to play in early triage and management of issues that may otherwise result in returns to acute care. [33][34][35]…”