Manuel James Lozada1, John T C Nguyen1, Amr Abouleish1, Donald Prough1, Rene Przkora2. 1. Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX. 2. Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX. Electronic address: przkora@yahoo.com.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Pre-anesthesia evaluation (PAE) is designed to reduce patient and family anxiety, identify pre-existing health issues, avoid surgical delays, minimize costs, and tailor an anesthetic plan. If PAE requires a clinic visit, patients must take time off work and may incur travel and childcare costs. A telephone-based Preoperative Assessment Clinic can minimize patient inconvenience, while maintaining high-quality patient care and improving efficiency. We assessed patient satisfaction with a telephone PAE and determined whether patients preferred a telephone PAE or a conventional clinic visit. DESIGN: Prospective, institutional review board-approved study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: We conducted an IRB-approved telephone survey of 75 adult, post-operative patients. INTERVENTIONS: Telephone survey. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were asked about their preference for a telephone PAE over an in-person evaluation. Survey questions included assessment of patient satisfaction with their anesthesia evaluation, operation, and anesthetic delivered. Delays and day of surgery cancellations were reviewed. MAIN RESULTS: The majority (97%) of patients stated they preferred a telephone PAE. Patient satisfaction was unaffected by driving distance (30±54 mi), ASA physical status or duration of surgery (169±159 min). Even patients who were not satisfied with their anesthetic (N=5) still preferred the telephone-based PAE. No increase in surgical delays or cancellation was noted. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients in this survey preferred a telephone PAE. Given the large catchment area of our hospital of nine counties, telephone-based interviews add to patient convenience and likely increase compliance with the PAE. Even patients who live in close proximity to our hospital (<5 mi) preferred a telephone assessment. A telephone-based PAE provides high patient satisfaction over a traditional office visit while increasing patient convenience. Larger studies are necessary to ensure that telephone PAEs compare well with in-person examinations.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Pre-anesthesia evaluation (PAE) is designed to reduce patient and family anxiety, identify pre-existing health issues, avoid surgical delays, minimize costs, and tailor an anesthetic plan. If PAE requires a clinic visit, patients must take time off work and may incur travel and childcare costs. A telephone-based Preoperative Assessment Clinic can minimize patient inconvenience, while maintaining high-quality patient care and improving efficiency. We assessed patient satisfaction with a telephone PAE and determined whether patients preferred a telephone PAE or a conventional clinic visit. DESIGN: Prospective, institutional review board-approved study. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: We conducted an IRB-approved telephone survey of 75 adult, post-operative patients. INTERVENTIONS: Telephone survey. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were asked about their preference for a telephone PAE over an in-person evaluation. Survey questions included assessment of patient satisfaction with their anesthesia evaluation, operation, and anesthetic delivered. Delays and day of surgery cancellations were reviewed. MAIN RESULTS: The majority (97%) of patients stated they preferred a telephone PAE. Patient satisfaction was unaffected by driving distance (30±54 mi), ASA physical status or duration of surgery (169±159 min). Even patients who were not satisfied with their anesthetic (N=5) still preferred the telephone-based PAE. No increase in surgical delays or cancellation was noted. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients in this survey preferred a telephone PAE. Given the large catchment area of our hospital of nine counties, telephone-based interviews add to patient convenience and likely increase compliance with the PAE. Even patients who live in close proximity to our hospital (<5 mi) preferred a telephone assessment. A telephone-based PAE provides high patient satisfaction over a traditional office visit while increasing patient convenience. Larger studies are necessary to ensure that telephone PAEs compare well with in-person examinations.
Authors: Cory N Criss; Johnathan Brown; Joshua S Gish; Samir K Gadepalli; Ronald B Hirschl Journal: Pediatr Surg Int Date: 2018-05-28 Impact factor: 1.827
Authors: Yaron Connelly; Roni Lotan; Yitzhak Brzezinski Sinai; Dan Rolls; Amir Beker; Eilone Abensour; Orit Neudorfer; Daniel Stocki Journal: JMIR Form Res Date: 2022-05-05