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Telehealth Follow-Up After Inguinal Hernia Repair in Veterans
Danielle Abbitt1, Kevin Choy1, Rose Castle2
1Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.
The Journal of Surgical Research
|March 20, 2023
Summary
Postoperative telehealth follow-up for inguinal hernia repair is safe and effective, showing no significant differences in complications or readmissions compared to in-person visits. This approach offers a viable alternative for routine surgical care.
Area of Science:
- Surgical outcomes research
- Health services research
- Digital health applications in surgery
Background:
- Telehealth utilization surged in surgical specialties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Limited data exists on the safety of routine postoperative telehealth for inguinal hernia repair, particularly for urgent/emergent cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and efficacy of postoperative telehealth follow-up in veterans undergoing inguinal hernia repair.
- To compare outcomes between telehealth and in-person follow-up for this patient population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 338 veterans undergoing inguinal hernia repair over two years.
- Outcome measures included postoperative complications, emergency department (ED) utilization, and 30-day readmissions.
- Exclusion criteria included procedures requiring drains or nonabsorbable sutures.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed in complications, ED visits, 30-day readmissions, or missed adverse events between telehealth and in-person follow-up groups.
- Patients with higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification and those undergoing open repair were more likely to have in-person follow-up.
- Telehealth was used for 50.6% of follow-ups, with in-person for 49.4%.
Conclusions:
- Postoperative telehealth follow-up for inguinal hernia repair is a safe and effective strategy.
- The study supports the use of telehealth for routine postoperative care in this surgical group.
- Patient factors like higher ASA class and open repair influence follow-up modality preference.
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