Postoperative care via smartphone following carpal tunnel release

Comparison of Patient Perception and Satisfaction of Face-to-Face Versus Telemedicine Encounters in Hand Surgery

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surge has enabled the widespread usage of telemedicine (TM) and presents a unique opportunity to determine the hand surgery patients' perception of care using validated patient satisfaction scores.

METHODS

Electronic surveys were distributed to patients aged 18 years and older who underwent a video TM encounter with a single surgeon at an academic medical center during the initial COVID-19 surge (March 23 to October 22, 2020). The study-specific questions were derived from the Press Ganey (PG) Medical Practice TM Survey and compared with institutional PG Outpatient Medical Practice Survey data. Three cohorts were defined: pre-COVID face-to-face, post-COVID TM, and post-COVID face-to-face.

RESULTS

Thirty of 65 TM patients (46.2%) responded. No differences in sex, age, or visit type were identified between cohorts. The TM cohort was more likely to live greater than 300 miles from the institution. Median response for all cohorts for the PG care provider and overall experience responses were "very good," and no differences were identified between cohorts. Patient satisfaction with their TM experience was high with median satisfaction scores for arranging and connecting to a TM visit, talking with the provider over a video connection, and having the provider understand the clinical problem were "very good." Patients in the TM cohort reported no difference in preference for face-to-face or TM visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients are satisfied with TM as a substitute for face-to-face visits suggesting that TM can possibly be used to deliver comparable patient experience for hand surgery encounters.

Hand Trauma Virtual Clinics Prove Effective During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

Due to the devastating and far-reaching impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic, hospital resources have been redirected to protect patients and health care staff, thereby vastly reducing the capacity for outpatient follow-up within a busy Plastic Surgery and Hand Trauma center. Through the use of telephone and video technology, virtual clinics were rapidly introduced to reduce hospital footfall.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analyzed patient experiences in virtual and traditional face-to-face clinics through the month of April 2020, from the second week of the government-imposed lockdown. A 5-point Visit-Specific Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to subsequently collect patients' feedback regarding their appointments.

RESULTS

A total of 107 hand injury-related follow-up appointments were recorded during the 4-week period. Sixty (56.0%) appointments were performed as a virtual consultation, and 47 (43.9%) face-to-face consultations were carried out on site. It was possible to discharge 43.3% from the virtual clinic group and 57.4% from the face-to-face group. We identified no significant difference in patient satisfaction (P = .368, Mann-Whitney U test) between the 2 cohorts.

CONCLUSION

Virtual clinics appear to be safe and effective for the follow-up of patients with traumatic hand injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach may prove beneficial in terms of workforce organization, reducing waiting times, and providing an alternative for patients unable to attend physical appointments.