Day-of-Surgery Video Calls and Phone Calls Increase Patient Satisfaction with Outpatient Surgery Experience

Abstract

Background: With the increasing utilization of patient satisfaction as a metric for clinical care, there is growing interest in techniques that can be used to improve satisfaction in patients undergoing surgery. The purpose of this trial was to assess the impact of day-of-surgery video and phone calls on patient satisfaction. Methods: We enrolled 251 patients undergoing outpatient orthopaedic surgery with 3 participating surgeons. Surgeons were randomized to 1 of 3 patient communication modalities: no contact (standard of care), phone call, or video call. Several hours following discharge on the day of surgery, the surgeons contacted patients according to their assigned treatment group. At the initial postoperative office visit, satisfaction outcomes were assessed using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surgical Care (S-CAHPS) survey and an additional satisfaction questionnaire. Results: Fifty-nine (97%) of 61 patients in the no-contact group, 118 (99%) of 119 patients in the phone group, and 71 (100%) of 71 patients in the video group completed follow-up assessment. The S-CAHPS top-box response rate in both the video group (0.86 ± 0.14, p < 0.001) and the phone group (0.84 ± 0.17, p < 0.001) was greater than in the no-contact group (0.68 ± 0.26). When asked to rate satisfaction with overall care, a greater proportion of patients in the video group (85.9%) gave the top-box response compared with both the phone group (71.8%, p = 0.040) and the no-contact group (60.7%, p = 0.002). Among the patients in the video group, 62.0% indicated that they would prefer a video call in future encounters with their surgeon compared with 1.8% of patients in the no-contact group (p < 0.001) and 1.7% of patients in the phone group (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Phone and video calls following discharge are an effective way of enhancing patient satisfaction with the clinical care experience as measured by the S-CAHPS survey. In terms of satisfaction with overall care, video calls may be superior to phone calls. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Impact of Post‐Thyroidectomy Neck Stretching Exercises on Neck Discomfort, Pressure Symptoms, Voice and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…As an enhanced patient satisfaction can be achieved by follow-up phone calls [ 42 ], it cannot be excluded that the phone call in the post-surgical period per se influenced the QoL among our patients, thereby confounding the effect of intervention. However, by including a control group, which also received a phone call, we tried to eliminate such an effect.…”

Impact of Giving Patients Your Personal Phone Number in Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery

“…8,12,13 The provider-patient relationship and provider accessibility have been shown to greatly influence patient satisfaction and influence malpractice claims. 5,12,[14][15][16][17][18] In this study, we demonstrated that participants in the +PN group reported greater patient satisfaction scores than participants in the ∅PN group. While the participant survey did not achieve the threshold sample size as determined in the a priori power analysis, a post-hoc power analysis showed a power of 0.92426 given the study group sample sizes and mean differences.…”

“…5,13 The authors found that patients who received a phone call or video call following surgery gave surgeons greater top-box responses than those who did not contact their patients. 5…”

“…These data are consistent with a study by Kingery et al who utilized the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Surgical Care (S-CAHPS) survey to assess patient satisfaction after receiving a phone call or video call following surgery. 5,13 The authors found that patients who received a phone call or video call following surgery gave surgeons greater topbox responses than those who did not contact their patients. 5 There are also potential benefits in patient care when providers share their PPN.…”

“…[1][2][3] This may also be done with the aim of increasing patient satisfaction. 4,5 Other providers, however, out of concerns for various potential problems associated with this, are opposed to sharing their PPN. 4,6 While physicians often have strong opinions and widely differing views on this practice, there is a paucity of literature to help guide providers.…”