Postoperative anaesthesia follow-up via telemedicine after outpatient surgery: a proof-of-concept study

Background Postoperative anaesthesia visits after inpatient procedures guarantee a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s status. As the number of outpatient surgical cases in hospitals increases, more patients are recovering at home. Telemedicine may provide an efficient and effective link between anaesthesiologists and patients at home without restricting their freedom and self-determination. Methods After an initial acceptance survey, a single-arm, observational pilot study piloted an optional postoperative anaesthesia visit for patients undergoing outpatient surgery under general anaesthesia. It was implemented using videochats and patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) questionnaires. Results Of the 300 people initially surveyed in the initial acceptance survey, nearly two-thirds (62.0%) expressed interest in using videochats to contact an anaesthesiologist after discharge. One hundred patients ( n = 100) were included in the subsequent observational pilot study. The offer of an optional postoperative visit was used by 65 participants ( n = 65, 65%). Videochats were considered a reliable tool for communicating medical issues and perceived as superior to telephone calls. The use of PROM questionnaires was considered meaningful by more than 80% of participants. Sixty-two of the sixty-five participants considered the postoperative anaesthesia visit a useful and beneficial part of the treatment and recovery process. Conclusions Postoperative anaesthesia visits via videochat combined with PROM questionnaires after outpatient surgery were successfully piloted and consistently perceived positively by participants. Telemedicine-assisted postoperative anaesthesia visits may be a feasible component of patient-centred care in settings with limited resources. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register; https://drks.de/search/en; registration number: DRKS00028755, registration date: 26th January 2023.