From the Guidelines
Telemedicine is a highly effective and recommended approach for postoperative care, offering a safe and efficient alternative to in-person follow-up visits for many surgical patients. This approach is particularly useful in the current pandemic era, as it provides a virtual postoperative PPE to ensure social distancing and safety for both patients and healthcare providers 1. The use of telemedicine in postoperative care has been shown to be feasible and safe, with high patient satisfaction rates and comparable clinical outcomes to traditional follow-up methods 1.
Key Benefits of Telemedicine in Postoperative Care
- Reduced risk of COVID-19 transmission and other infections
- Increased accessibility for patients with mobility limitations or transportation challenges
- Improved patient satisfaction and engagement in their care
- Enhanced ability to monitor and manage postoperative complications remotely
- Reduced healthcare costs and resource utilization
Ideal Telemedicine Setup
- Secure video platform (e.g. Zoom Healthcare, Doxy.me, or Epic's MyChart)
- Reliable internet connection
- Device with a camera
- Clear visualization of the surgical site for wound assessment
- Ability to remotely evaluate for signs of infection, assess pain levels, and review medication adherence
Situations Requiring In-Person Assessment
- Suspected wound infections with significant drainage
- Severe pain unresponsive to prescribed medications
- Fever above 101.5°F
- Signs of deep vein thrombosis
- Other complex or high-risk postoperative complications
The effectiveness of telemedicine in postoperative care is supported by recent studies, including a prospective RCT comparing telemedicine to office-based follow-up after midurethral sling surgery, which found no difference in satisfaction, unplanned events, or complications 1. Therefore, telemedicine is a recommended approach for postoperative care, offering a safe, efficient, and patient-centered alternative to traditional follow-up methods.
From the Research
Benefits of Telemedicine in Postoperative Care
- Telemedicine has demonstrated excellent clinical outcomes, enhanced patient satisfaction, increased accessibility, and reduced wait times, as well as cost savings for patients and healthcare systems 2.
- It has significant financial and psychosocial benefits, especially in developing countries, where it can be used as a routine tool in clinical medicine 3.
- Telemedicine can enhance the role of robotic techniques in decreasing hospital stay and improving postoperative recovery after surgery 4.
- It can provide safe and effective early postoperative follow-up care, with patients expressing a stronger preference for telehealth and experiencing less time-consuming visits 5.
Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Reducing Emergency Department Visits and Readmissions
- A systematic review and meta-analysis found that postoperative telemedicine interventions with a communication feature did not show a clear reduction in emergency department visits and readmissions 6.
- However, the review noted that targeting interventions to specific surgical settings may prove most useful, as there is significant heterogeneity in the proportions of potentially preventable visits in each surgical specialty 6.
- Despite the lack of reduction in emergency department visits and readmissions, telemedicine interventions were associated with high levels of patient satisfaction (> 80%) 6.
Applications of Telemedicine in Postoperative Care
- Telemedicine can be used in various domains of surgical care, including neurosurgery, colorectal cancer surgery, and orthopedic care 2, 3, 4, 5.
- It can be used for routine follow-up and semi-emergent conditions in postoperative patients, addressing financial and psychosocial benefits 3.
- Telemedicine can also be used as a platform for postoperative visits, providing a convenient and efficient way for patients to receive follow-up care 5.