Telehealth visits may yield accurate surgical plans for spine surgery
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Telehealth visits may yield accurate surgical plans prior to in-person evaluation among patients undergoing spine surgery, according to results presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting.
Alexander Crawford, MD, and colleagues analyzed 59 patients who were seen by a spine surgeon for the first time via telehealth during the peak time of COVID-19-related distancing restrictions in Massachusetts. Researchers included encounters that resulted in a specific, documented surgical plan and compared the surgical plan from the initial telehealth encounter with the final surgical plan established following a subsequent in-person examination.
Among 59 patients who initially had a telehealth visit, results showed 8% had a change in surgical plan after in-person evaluation. Data were derived from Crawford A, et al. Paper 06. Presented at: North American Spine Society Annual Meeting. Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, 2021; Boston (hybrid meeting).
“Our primary outcome was the rate at which surgical plans changed between the virtual encounter and the subsequent in person encounter, which was performed prior to surgery,” Crawford said in his presentation. “The secondary outcome was the number of virtual physical examination maneuvers utilized by surgeons during their initial telehealth visit.”
Crawford noted change in surgical plan was defined as a patient who was previously indicated for surgery via telehealth who was found to not merit a surgical procedure after the in-person evaluation, a change to the type of surgery that was recommended or a change in the extent of surgery that was offered.
Among the 59 patients analyzed, Crawford said five patients had a change in surgical plan after in-person evaluation, leading to an 8% rate of change. He added none of the five changes were due to a patient no longer being indicated for surgery.
“With regard to our secondary outcome, a majority of patients in whom a specific surgical plan was made did not have any physical examination maneuvers documented from their telemedicine visit,” Crawford said.
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Crawford A, et al. Paper 06. Presented at: North American Spine Social Annual Meeting. Sept. 29 - Oct. 2, 2021; Boston (hybrid meeting).
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