Surgical patient satisfaction with a virtual hybrid care hotel model: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

IntroductionThe Care Hotel is a virtual medicine hybrid model of care that was implemented at Mayo Clinic in Florida in July of 2020. This temporal accommodation offers patients a comfortable out of hospital environment where they can receive both in-person and virtual care after a surgery or procedure. This study aims to report patient feedback regarding their Care Hotel experience. Materials and methodsBetween July 23, 2020 and June 4, 2021, a satisfaction survey was sent to patients via email after their discharge from the Care Hotel. The survey consisted of 8 Likert questions rating their experience in the model as well as 2 questions where patients describe the positive and negative aspects of their stay. Patient demographics including age, sex, procedure performed, and the surgical/procedural service under which they were admitted to the hotel were also collected. ResultsOut of 182 patients admitted to Care Hotel, 102 answered the survey. Nine surveys were excluded due to missing patient information, and 93 surveys were analyzed. Eighty-seven percent of patients had a positive experience in the Care Hotel model and 94% of patients were likely to recommend the program to others. Positive comments highlighted the ease of use of the technology setups, the low cost of the hotel, the seamless transition of care, and the relief of the burden of care for family members. ConclusionThe Mayo Clinic hybrid Care Hotel, combining both in-person and virtual modes of medical care, provides a good overall experience for patients following low-risk surgeries and procedures.