Maureen Miletics1, Leonardo Claros2, Jill Stoltzfus3, Terri Davis4, Maher El Chaar2. 1. St. Luke's Weight Management Services, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: Maureen.Miletics@sluhn.org. 2. Department of Surgery, Division of Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery, the Medical School of Temple University/St Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 3. Research Institute and Medical School of Temple University/St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 4. St. Luke's Weight Management Services, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate progression to surgery rates for live and online seminar and assess weight loss outcome comparisons at 1-year postoperation. SETTING: University Hospital Network, Allentown, PA, USA. METHODS: The entry point into our program was an information seminar where prospective patients are educated about obesity, bariatric surgery, indications and contraindications, risks and benefits, and our center's process. Between January of 2009 and November of 2011, only live information seminars were offered. In November of 2011, we started offering an online information seminar to reach those who are unable to attend a live seminar. Tracking of live versus online seminar attendance was documented in our database. RESULTS: Between November 1, 2011 and September 30, 2015, 3484 people completed an information seminar. Of those, 2744 attendees came to a live seminar while 740 completed the online seminar. A significantly higher number of live seminar attendees, 78.1% (2144/2744) progressed to an office visit compared with online seminar attendees 66.5% (492/740), P<.0001. Similarly significant, 40.1% (1101/2744) of live seminar attendees progressed to surgery versus 29.7% (220/740) of online attendees (P<.0001). Sex (78.2% female for live seminar versus 79.5% female for online seminar, P = .65) and initial body mass index (46.3 ± 7.4 for live seminar versus 45.3 ± 7.1 for online seminar, P = .09) were very similar between the groups. Online seminar attendees' age (42.7 ± 12.1) was younger than that of the live seminar attendees' (47.3 ± 12.3) (P<.0001) but has little clinical value. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that live seminar attendees are more likely to progress to surgery and therefore should continue to be offered.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate progression to surgery rates for live and online seminar and assess weight loss outcome comparisons at 1-year postoperation. SETTING: University Hospital Network, Allentown, PA, USA. METHODS: The entry point into our program was an information seminar where prospective patients are educated about obesity, bariatric surgery, indications and contraindications, risks and benefits, and our center's process. Between January of 2009 and November of 2011, only live information seminars were offered. In November of 2011, we started offering an online information seminar to reach those who are unable to attend a live seminar. Tracking of live versus online seminar attendance was documented in our database. RESULTS: Between November 1, 2011 and September 30, 2015, 3484 people completed an information seminar. Of those, 2744 attendees came to a live seminar while 740 completed the online seminar. A significantly higher number of live seminar attendees, 78.1% (2144/2744) progressed to an office visit compared with online seminar attendees 66.5% (492/740), P<.0001. Similarly significant, 40.1% (1101/2744) of live seminar attendees progressed to surgery versus 29.7% (220/740) of online attendees (P<.0001). Sex (78.2% female for live seminar versus 79.5% female for online seminar, P = .65) and initial body mass index (46.3 ± 7.4 for live seminar versus 45.3 ± 7.1 for online seminar, P = .09) were very similar between the groups. Online seminar attendees' age (42.7 ± 12.1) was younger than that of the live seminar attendees' (47.3 ± 12.3) (P<.0001) but has little clinical value. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that live seminar attendees are more likely to progress to surgery and therefore should continue to be offered.
Authors: Sarah E Messiah; Paul M Sacher; Joshua Yudkin; Ashley Ofori; Faisal G Qureshi; Benjamin Schneider; Deanna M Hoelscher; Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz; Sarah E Barlow Journal: Digit Health Date: 2020-01-07