Potential Benefits and Drawbacks of Virtual Clinics in General Surgery: Pilot Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.
Potential Benefits and Drawbacks of Virtual Clinics in General Surgery: Pilot Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.
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DOI：
10.2196/12491
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发表时间：
2020-01-13
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Hill ADK
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Rutherford E;Noray R;Ó hEarráin C;Quinlan K;Hegarty A;Ekpotu L;Arize C;Fabamwo F;Alrubaiaan A;Bhupalan A;Alshehhi A;Power C;Hill ADK
对专科医疗保健的需求不断增加，对医院服务提出了巨大的需求。技术为医疗保健提供者提供了一种提高医疗保健服务效率的手段。本研究的目的是对虚拟诊所 (VC) 在繁忙的三级中心的普通外科服务中的可行性、优点和缺点进行试点研究。在普通外科门诊部对患者对当前护理的满意度和对 VC 的态度进行了前瞻性调查 (OPD; n=223)。接受内窥镜检查和日间手术的一部分患者被招募到 VC 进行随访，并随后对其满意度进行调查 (20/243)。其他衡量的结果包括传统和虚拟门诊环境中的咨询时间的比较以及患者和机构的财务成本。几乎一半的患者报告了未来使用 VC 的障碍。然而，在 VC 随访的队列中，满意度高于传统 OPD（100% 与 187/223 相比，83.9%）。结果发现，患者和机构的时间 (P=.003) 和财务成本均得到显着节省。对于适当选择的患者群体，VC 提供了传统 OPD 的可行替代方案。这种替代方案可以提高患者满意度和患者护理效率。
Escalating demand for specialist health care puts considerable demand on hospital services. Technology offers a means by which health care providers may increase the efficiency of health care delivery. The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot study of the feasibility, benefits, and drawbacks of a virtual clinic (VC) in the general surgical service of a busy tertiary center. Patient satisfaction with current care and attitudes to VC were surveyed prospectively in the general surgical outpatient department (OPD; n=223). A subset of patients who had undergone endoscopy and day surgery were recruited to follow-up in a VC and subsequently surveyed with regard to their satisfaction (20/243). Other outcomes measured included a comparison of consultation times in traditional and virtual outpatient settings and financial cost to both patients and the institution. Almost half of the patients reported barriers to prospective use of VCs. However, within the cohort who had been followed-up in the VC, satisfaction was higher than the traditional OPD (100% as compared with 187/223, 83.9%). Significant savings in both time (P=.003) and financial costs to patients and the institution were found. For an appropriately selected group of patients, VCs offer a viable alternative to traditional OPD. This alternative can improve both patient satisfaction and efficiency of patient care.