Abstract
BackgroundTelehealth utilization rapidly increased following the pandemic. However, it is not widely used in the Veteran surgical population. We sought to evaluate postoperative telehealth in patients undergoing general surgery. MethodsRetrospective review of Veterans undergoing general surgery at a level 1A VA Medical Center from June 2019 to September 2021. Exclusions were concomitant procedure(s), discharge with drains or non-absorbable sutures/staples, complication prior to discharge or pathology positive for malignancy. Results1075 patients underwent qualifying procedures, 124 (12 %) were excluded and 162 (17 %) did not have follow-up. 443 (56 %) patients followed-up in-person (56 %) vs 346 (44 %) via telehealth. Telehealth patients had a lower rate of complications, 6 % vs 12 %, p = 0.013. There were no significant differences in ED visits, 30-day readmission, postoperative procedures or missed adverse events. ConclusionTelehealth follow-up after general surgical procedures is safe and effective. Postoperative telehealth care should be considered after low-risk general surgery procedures.
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