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- Talk
- 22/09/2022
- UK
Utility of Telephone Consultations During COVID-19 and Beyond: A Study of Orthopaedic Spinal Patients
Description
This presentation, delivered by Michael Woodmass, an ST2 from Newcastle, delves into the implications of COVID-19 on outpatient care, particularly among spinal patients. The discussion focuses on the significant transition from face-to-face to telephone consultations during the pandemic, with statistics illustrating that while in-person appointments were the norm pre-COVID, they plummeted after the initial lockdown in March 2020, leading to a dramatic increase in telephone consultations from 7% to 87% of outpatient activities.
The study involved over 200 orthopedic spinal patients who completed a questionnaire assessing their experiences with telephone consultations. Key areas of inquiry included the acceptability of telephone consultations, patient satisfaction linked to treatment outcomes, and whether patients preferred to continue such consultations in the future. Results indicated that most patients found the appointments appropriate considering the pandemic circumstances and felt confident in their clinicians' remote care abilities.
Patients rated their overall satisfaction with the consultations as 8.2 out of 10 and showed a willingness to recommend this mode of care to others. Additionally, when asked whether a face-to-face consultation would alter their treatment, the majority affirmed that their treatment path would remain unchanged. Patients highlighted benefits such as time and cost savings from avoiding travel, while noting limitations related to the inability to perform clinical examinations and challenges in communicating symptoms over the phone.
The study concluded that telephone consultations are generally well-received across various treatment outcomes, providing a viable alternative that mitigates travel burdens while recognizing the challenges posed by remote interactions. The findings contribute valuable insights into the future of remote healthcare delivery and patient care amid ongoing health crises.