Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate telephone follow-up of post-endoscopy patients as an alternative to attendance at the outpatient department.
Methods
Access to outpatient appointments is often a target for improvement in healthcare systems. Increased outpatient clinic capacity is not feasible without investment and extra manpower in an already constrained service. Outpatient attendance was audited at a busy colorectal surgical service. A subset of patients appropriate for follow-up in a “virtual outpatient department” (VOPD) were identified. A pilot study was designed and involved telephone follow-up of low-risk endoscopic procedures. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale (MISS), which is a standardised survey of patient satisfaction with healthcare experiences. This was conducted via anonymous questionnaire at the end of the study.
Results
Of a total of 166 patients undergoing endoscopy in the time period, 79 were prospectively recruited to VOPD follow-up based on eligibility criteria. Overall, 67 (84.8 %) were successfully followed up by telephone consultation; nine patients (11.4 %) were contacted by mail. The remaining three patients (3.8 %) were brought back to the OPD. Patients recruited were more likely to be younger (55.82 ± 14.96 versus 60.78 ± 13.97 years, P = 0.029) and to have had normal examinations (49.4 versus 31.0 %, χ 2 = 5.070, P = 0.025). Nearly three quarters of patients responded to the questionnaire. The mean scores for all four aspects of the MISS were satisfactory, and overall patients were satisfied with the VOPD experience.
Conclusion
VOPD is a target for improved healthcare provision, with improved efficiency and a high patient satisfaction rate.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sey MS, Gregor J, Adams P, Khanna N, Vinden C, Driman D, Chande N (2012) Wait times for diagnostic colonoscopy among outpatients with colorectal cancer: a comparison with Canadian Association of Gastroenterology targets. Can J Gastroenterol J Can de Gastroenterol 26(12):894–896
Pandit JJ, Pandit M, Reynard JM (2010) Understanding waiting lists as the matching of surgical capacity to demand: are we wasting enough surgical time? Anaesthesia 65(6):625–640. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2010.06278.x
Allgar VL, Neal RD (2005) Delays in the diagnosis of six cancers: analysis of data from the National Survey of NHS Patients: cancer. Br J Cancer 92(11):1959–1970. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602587
Olsson JK, Schultz EM, Gould MK (2009) Timeliness of care in patients with lung cancer: a systematic review. Thorax 64(9):749–756. doi:10.1136/thx.2008.109330
Horton R (2009) The global financial crisis: an acute threat to health. Lancet 373(9661):355–356. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60116-1
Karidis NP, Dimitroulis D, Kouraklis G (2011) Global financial crisis and surgical practice: the Greek paradigm. World J Surg 35(11):2377–2381. doi:10.1007/s00268-011-1228-y
Cairns SR, Scholefield JH, Steele RJ, Dunlop MG, Thomas HJW, Evans GD, Eaden JA, Rutter MD, Atkin WP, Saunders BP, Lucassen A, Jenkins P, Fairclough PD, Woodhouse CRJ (2010) Guidelines for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance in moderate and high risk groups (update from 2002). Gut 59(5):666–689
Wolf MH, Putnam SM, James SA, Stiles WB (1978) The Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale: development of a scale to measure patient perceptions of physician behavior. J Behav Med 1(4):391–401
Bland JM, Altman DG (1997) Cronbach’s alpha. Bmj 314(7080):572
McKinstry B, Watson P, Pinnock H, Heaney D, Sheikh A (2009) Telephone consulting in primary care: a triangulated qualitative study of patients and providers. Br J Gen Pract 59(563):209–218
Inglis SC, Clark RA, McAlister FA, Ball J, Lewinter C, Cullington D, Stewart S, Cleland JG (2010) Structured telephone support or telemonitoring programmes for patients with chronic heart failure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 8:CD007228. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007228.pub2
Ferrante D, Varini S, Macchia A, Soifer S, Badra R, Nul D, Grancelli H, Doval H (2010) Long-term results after a telephone intervention in chronic heart failure: DIAL (Randomized Trial of Phone Intervention in Chronic Heart Failure) follow-up. J Am Coll Cardiol 56(5):372–378
Williams M, Amin A, Getgood A, Hallam P, Chojnowski AJ, Chapman PG (2008) Telephone clinic follow-up following carpal tunnel decompression. J Hand Surg Eur 33(5):641–644. doi:10.1177/1753193408090124
Fallis WM, Scurrah D (2001) Outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy: home visit versus telephone follow-up. Can J Surg J Can de Chir 44(1):39–44
Crocker JB, Crocker JT, Greenwald JL (2012) Telephone follow-up as a primary care intervention for postdischarge outcomes improvement: a systematic review. Am J Med 125(9):915–921. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.01.035
Kimman ML, Bloebaum MM, Dirksen CD, Houben RM, Lambin P, Boersma LJ (2010) Patient satisfaction with nurse-led telephone follow-up after curative treatment for breast cancer. BMC Cancer 10:174–174
Braun E, Baidusi A, Alroy G, Azzam ZS (2009) Telephone follow-up improves patients satisfaction following hospital discharge. Eur J Intern Med 20(2):221–225
Lindsay B (2004) Randomized controlled trials of socially complex nursing interventions: creating bias and unreliability? J Adv Nurs 45(1):84–94
Mistiaen P, Poot E (2006) Telephone follow-up, initiated by a hospital-based health professional, for postdischarge problems in patients discharged from hospital to home. Cochrane Database Syst Rev (4)
Meakin R, Weinman J (2002) The ‘Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale” (MISS-21) adapted for British general practice. Fam Pract 19(3):257–263
O’Byrne L, Roberts NJ, Partridge MR (2012) Preclinic telephone consultations: an observational cohort study. Clin Med 12(2):140–145
Wallace P, Barber J, Clayton W, Currell R, Fleming K, Garner P, Haines A, Harrison R, Jacklin P, Jarrett C, Jayasuriya R, Lewis L, Parker S, Roberts J, Thompson S, Wainwright P (2004) Virtual outreach: a randomised controlled trial and economic evaluation of joint teleconferenced medical consultations. Health Technol Assess 8(50):1–106, iii-iv
Hayes A, Buffum M (2001) Educating patients after conscious sedation for gastrointestinal procedures. Gastroenterol Nurs: Off J Soc Gastroenterol Nurses Assoc 24(2):54–57
Schuster MM, McCauley K, Kutalek S, Hessen SE, Marchlinski F, Baessler CA (1999) Learning retention in patients receiving midazolam during permanent pacemaker implantation. J Cardiovasc Nurs 14(1):27–34
Beaver K, Williamson S, Chalmers K (2010) Telephone follow-up after treatment for breast cancer: views and experiences of patients and specialist breast care nurses. J Clin Nurs 19(19–20):2916–2924
Beaver K, Wilson C, Procter D, Sheridan J, Towers G, Heath J, Susnerwala S, Luker K (2011) Colorectal cancer follow-up: patient satisfaction and amenability to telephone after care. Eur J Oncol Nurs 15(1):23–30
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ryan, E.M., Rogers, A.C., Hanly, A.M. et al. A virtual outpatient department provides a satisfactory patient experience following endoscopy. Int J Colorectal Dis 29, 359–364 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-013-1801-y
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-013-1801-y