Does a Previsit Phone Call from the Surgeon Reduce Decision Conflict?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Patient Experience
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Previsit strategies may enhance the productivity and efficiency of in-person medical appointments.
• The effectiveness of previsit phone calls in musculoskeletal specialty care is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patients receiving a previsit phone call versus no call regarding decision conflict, perceived clinician empathy, and appointment attendance.
• To assess the specialist's opinion on whether phone calls could replace in-person visits.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized-controlled trial involving 122 patients scheduled for a musculoskeletal specialty visit.
• Patients were randomized to receive a previsit phone call from an orthopedic surgeon or not.
• Data collected included demographic information, Decision Conflict Scale, and Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed between groups in decision conflict, perceived empathy, or appointment attendance.
• Of successful phone calls, 91% of surgeons felt they could safely and effectively replace an in-person visit.

Conclusions:

• A single previsit phone call did not improve decision conflict or patient experience in this study.
• Further research into multiple touch points and the potential of telephone-based specialist consultations is warranted, especially for specific patient populations.