Video consultation for new colorectal patients.

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Health Services Research
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Outpatient reviews can involve stressful hospital journeys, posing risks, especially with social distancing measures.
• Video consultations (VCs) have been underutilized in colorectal practice despite potential benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the outcomes, economic impact, and environmental impact of a video consultation (VC) clinic for new colorectal referrals.
• To compare VC outcomes with traditional face-to-face appointments.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study of 50 consecutive patients attending VC colorectal appointments (March 2019-February 2020).
• Comparison with face-to-face appointments during the same period.
• Estimation of travel distance, time, cost, and carbon emissions using web resources; loss of earnings data from the Office for National Statistics.

Main Results:

• Video consultations (VCs) resulted in significant savings: 6685 miles of travel, 148 hours of travel time, and £1767 in costs for 50 patients.
• VC appointments had a lower failure-to-attend rate (4%) compared to face-to-face appointments (6.1%).
• VCs offered additional patient savings of approximately £33.56 per patient in lost earnings and reduced carbon emissions by 4659 lb CO2 equivalent.

Conclusions:

• Video consultations (VCs) offer substantial patient benefits through reduced travel, time, and costs, alongside significant environmental advantages.
• VC clinics are crucial for modern outpatient care, accommodating both new and follow-up patient appointments effectively.