Telephone follow-up for pediatric ambulatory surgery: parent and provider satisfaction

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Traditional 4- to 6-week clinic follow-up post-pediatric ambulatory surgery is often delayed in identifying complications.
• Extended clinic follow-up presents a significant burden for parents of pediatric surgical patients.
• Limited research exists on the efficacy and parental preference for telephone follow-up in pediatric surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a practice change implementing a standardized telephone follow-up protocol for pediatric ambulatory surgery.
• To evaluate parent satisfaction with telephone follow-up compared to traditional clinic visits.
• To assess staff satisfaction and resource utilization associated with the new protocol.

Main Methods:

• A standardized telephone follow-up protocol was implemented by a pediatric nurse practitioner within one week of surgery.
• An interview survey method was employed to gather data on parent satisfaction and preference for clinic visits.
• Staff satisfaction and resource utilization data were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The study evaluated parent satisfaction with telephone follow-up and their desire for a clinic visit.
• Staff satisfaction and resource utilization were also assessed as part of the evaluation.
• Results indicate potential benefits for both patients and healthcare providers.

Conclusions:

• Telephone follow-up offers a timely and potentially more satisfactory alternative to traditional clinic visits after pediatric ambulatory surgery.
• The standardized protocol demonstrates a viable approach to improving post-operative care and parental support.
• Further research may support wider adoption of telephone follow-up in pediatric surgical care settings.