Telehealth can safely be used as an alternative to in-person follow-up visits for patients who have undergone low-risk ambulatory surgical procedures, according to a study in JAMA: Surgery.
Researchers studied the outcomes among 115 open herniorrhaphy and 26 laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients at a university-affiliated veterans' hospital.
Of the patients who were successfully contacted and completed the telehealth follow-up, zero of the cholecystectomy and three (4.8 percent) of the herniorrhaphy patients experienced complications. Researchers also noted that travel expenses for the patients were reduced, and the clinic used the extra time to schedule more patients.
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