Telemedicine to follow patients in a general surgery department. A randomized controlled trial.
Follow-up studies
General surgery
Telemedicine
Journal
American journal of surgery
ISSN: 1879-1883
Titre abrégé: Am J Surg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0370473
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
06 2020
06 2020
Historique:
received:
19
12
2019
revised:
13
03
2020
accepted:
19
03
2020
pubmed:
8
4
2020
medline:
3
7
2020
entrez:
8
4
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Telemedicine is becoming more popular in many medical specialties but few studies have been conducted in General Surgery. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of its introduction in this specialty. A prospective randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted in 200 patients to compare conventional vs telemedicine follow-up in the outpatient clinics. The primary outcome was the feasibility of telemedicine follow-up and the secondary outcomes were its clinical impact and patient satisfaction. Patients were enrolled between March 2017 and April 2018 and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups' characteristics. The primary outcome was achieved in 90% of the conventional follow-up group and in 74% of the telemedicine group (P = 0.003). No differences were found in clinical outcomes (P = 0.832) or patient satisfaction (P = 0.099). Telemedicine is a good complementary service to facilitate follow-up management in selected patients from a General Surgery department.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Telemedicine is becoming more popular in many medical specialties but few studies have been conducted in General Surgery. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of its introduction in this specialty.
METHODS
A prospective randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted in 200 patients to compare conventional vs telemedicine follow-up in the outpatient clinics. The primary outcome was the feasibility of telemedicine follow-up and the secondary outcomes were its clinical impact and patient satisfaction.
RESULTS
Patients were enrolled between March 2017 and April 2018 and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups' characteristics. The primary outcome was achieved in 90% of the conventional follow-up group and in 74% of the telemedicine group (P = 0.003). No differences were found in clinical outcomes (P = 0.832) or patient satisfaction (P = 0.099).
CONCLUSION
Telemedicine is a good complementary service to facilitate follow-up management in selected patients from a General Surgery department.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32252983
pii: S0002-9610(20)30179-3
doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.03.023
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Comparative Study
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
882-887Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.