Pediatric surgery telehealth: patient and clinician satisfaction
Salma Shivji1, Peter Metcalfe, Allvena Khan
1Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric General Surgery, Stollery Children's Hospital, 2C3.56 Walter C Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada.
Insights
Telehealth effectively connects remote pediatric surgical patients with specialists, showing high patient and clinician satisfaction. This technology bridges geographical barriers, offering an acceptable and effective consultation method.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Telemedicine
- Healthcare Access
Background:
- Stollery Children's Hospital serves a vast geographic area (over 650,000 km²).
- Approximately 50% of the patient population resides outside Edmonton, highlighting a significant distance gap.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate patient and clinician satisfaction with telehealth for pediatric surgical consultations and follow-up.
- To assess telehealth's effectiveness in bridging geographical distances for specialized pediatric care.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative data collected via questionnaires from patients and clinicians.
- Analysis of telehealth implementation experience from 2008 to 2009.
Main Results:
- 259 pediatric surgical telehealth encounters occurred, with 37% from outside the province.
- High satisfaction reported: 97% of patients and 73% of clinicians.
- Significant cost savings for patients (48% saved >$500-$700), with most patients living over 200-400 km away.
Conclusions:
- Telehealth is an acceptable, effective, and appropriate alternative for pediatric surgical consultations and follow-up.
- Demonstrates successful application for patients in remote areas.
- Achieves high levels of both patient and clinician satisfaction.
Purpose:
The Stollery Children's Hospital serves a very large geographic region of over at least 650,000 km² with patients from outside of Edmonton accounting for approximately 50% of the service population. The aim of this study is to document the experience and opinion of the patient and clinician satisfaction with telehealth encounter for various pediatric surgical consultations and follow-up as a way to bridge the distance gap.
Methods:
We observe our experience with recent telehealth implementation from 2008 to 2009. Qualitative data were collected through questionnaires aimed at patients and clinicians.
Results:
There were 259 pediatric surgical telehealth encounters, of which 37% were from outside the province. There were 42 antenatal multidisciplinary, 13 chronic pain, 103 general surgery, 2 orthopedic, 63 urology, 33 head and shape nurse practioner clinic, and 3 neurosurgery consults. 83 patient and 12 clinician questionnaires were completed. 97% of patients and 73% of clinicians reported satisfaction with having a telehealth session. 97% of the patients reside more than 200 km from the city and 77% live more than 400 km away. 48% reported a cost saving >$500-$700.
Conclusion:
Telehealth for pediatric surgical services is an alternative as an acceptable, effective, and appropriate way to consult and follow-up pediatric patients who live in significantly remote areas with great clinician and patient satisfaction.
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