July, 2022
Article
Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Global Research and Reviews

Telehealth Visits After Shoulder Surgery: Higher Patient Satisfaction and Lower Costs

By: Evan A. O'Donnell, Jillian E. Haberli, Andres Muniz Martinez, Daniel Yagoda, Robert S. Kaplan and Jon J.P. Warner

Format:Electronic

Abstract

Purpose and Methods: The study compared the cost of telemedicine visits with in-person clinic visits for routine follow-up after common shoulder surgeries. It also evaluated the safety and patient experience with telemedicine visits. Time-driven activity-based costing was used to determine costs associated with each episode of care. The project also collected measurements on patient complications, satisfaction, convenience, and technical difficulties associated with telehealth. Results: The average Virtual Visit was 54% less costly and 88% shorter than the In-Person Visit ($49 versus $107 per patient, 8.6 versus 70.1 minutes per patient). All patients in the Virtual Visit cohort reported high levels of satisfaction and that the virtual visit was safe and convenient.

Keywords

Health Care and Treatment; Communication Technology; Health Industry

Citation

O'Donnell, Evan A., Jillian E. Haberli, Andres Muniz Martinez, Daniel Yagoda, Robert S. Kaplan, and Jon J.P. Warner. "Telehealth Visits After Shoulder Surgery: Higher Patient Satisfaction and Lower Costs." Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Global Research and Reviews 6, no. 7 (July, 2022).