Christopher Iwanoff1, Maria Giannopoulos2, Charbel Salamon3. 1. FPMRS, Atlantic Health System, 435 South Street, Suite 370, Morristown, NJ, 07960, USA. chrisiwanoff@gmail.com. 2. Obstetrics and Gynecology, Atlantic Health System, 100 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ, USA. 3. FPMRS, Atlantic Health System, 435 South Street, Suite 370, Morristown, NJ, 07960, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of our study was to identify the most common reasons why postoperative urogynecology patients called their surgeon within the first 6 weeks of surgery. We hypothesize that implementing a follow-up postoperative call (FPC) policy would decrease the number of patient-initiated calls within this postoperative period. METHODS: This is a prospective before-and-after cohort study that was conducted in two phases. The initial phase identified the most common reasons why patients call within 6 weeks of their inpatient or outpatient urogynecological surgery. In the second phase, an intervention was implemented where each postoperative patient was called within 48 to 72 h of discharge: the intervention group. The primary outcome was the number of phone calls initiated by patients during the 6-week postoperative period. RESULTS: There were 226 patients in the control group and 233 patients in the intervention group. Significantly fewer calls were initiated by patients in the intervention group, both groups having a median of 1 call per person, range 0-8 in the control group and 0-10 in the intervention group (p = 0.04). The five most common complaints were as follows: pain (20.4%), medication management (17.4%), disability paperwork (15.5%), and laboratory results (11.5%). There was a significant reduction in calls concerning constipation, laboratory/pathology results, and disability insurance claims after implementing the FPC policy. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the FPC policy resulted in fewer patient-initiated calls. As such, there were significant reductions in postoperative complaints of constipation, vaginal bleeding, incomplete bladder emptying, and inquiries into laboratory results and disability paperwork.
INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of our study was to identify the most common reasons why postoperative urogynecology patients called their surgeon within the first 6 weeks of surgery. We hypothesize that implementing a follow-up postoperative call (FPC) policy would decrease the number of patient-initiated calls within this postoperative period. METHODS: This is a prospective before-and-after cohort study that was conducted in two phases. The initial phase identified the most common reasons why patients call within 6 weeks of their inpatient or outpatient urogynecological surgery. In the second phase, an intervention was implemented where each postoperative patient was called within 48 to 72 h of discharge: the intervention group. The primary outcome was the number of phone calls initiated by patients during the 6-week postoperative period. RESULTS: There were 226 patients in the control group and 233 patients in the intervention group. Significantly fewer calls were initiated by patients in the intervention group, both groups having a median of 1 call per person, range 0-8 in the control group and 0-10 in the intervention group (p = 0.04). The five most common complaints were as follows: pain (20.4%), medication management (17.4%), disability paperwork (15.5%), and laboratory results (11.5%). There was a significant reduction in calls concerning constipation, laboratory/pathology results, and disability insurance claims after implementing the FPC policy. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the FPC policy resulted in fewer patient-initiated calls. As such, there were significant reductions in postoperative complaints of constipation, vaginal bleeding, incomplete bladder emptying, and inquiries into laboratory results and disability paperwork.
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