| Autor: |
Popova, Dardan, Young, Kieron, Hobday, Dorian, Welman, Ted, Pahal, Gurjinderpal S. |
| Zdroj: |
HAND; Mar2023, Vol. 18 Issue 2, p349-354, 6p |
| Abstrakt: |
Background: Due to the devastating and far-reaching impact of the novel COVID-19 pandemic, hospital resources have been redirected to protect patients and health care staff, thereby vastly reducing the capacity for outpatient follow-up within a busy Plastic Surgery and Hand Trauma center. Through the use of telephone and video technology, virtual clinics were rapidly introduced to reduce hospital footfall. Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed patient experiences in virtual and traditional face-to-face clinics through the month of April 2020, from the second week of the government-imposed lockdown. A 5-point Visit-Specific Satisfaction Questionnaire was used to subsequently collect patients' feedback regarding their appointments. Results: A total of 107 hand injury–related follow-up appointments were recorded during the 4-week period. Sixty (56.0%) appointments were performed as a virtual consultation, and 47 (43.9%) face-to-face consultations were carried out on site. It was possible to discharge 43.3% from the virtual clinic group and 57.4% from the face-to-face group. We identified no significant difference in patient satisfaction (P =.368, Mann-Whitney U test) between the 2 cohorts. Conclusion: Virtual clinics appear to be safe and effective for the follow-up of patients with traumatic hand injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This approach may prove beneficial in terms of workforce organization, reducing waiting times, and providing an alternative for patients unable to attend physical appointments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
