<< Back to the abstract archive
Virtual Plastic Surgery Encounters Increase Practice Catchment Area while maintaining Surgical Conversion and Establishment of Care
Ryan Khalaf, BS; Abigail Meyers, BS; Payam Sadeghi, MD; Jose Reyes, BS; R'ay Fodor, BS; Diane Jo, BS; Emma Toth, BS; Thomas Xia, MD; Francis Papay, MD; Antonio Rampazzo, MD, PhD; Bahar Bassiri Gharb, MD, PhD
Cleveland Clinic
2023-02-07
Presenter: Ryan Khalaf
Affidavit:
This abstract has not been published previously, is not under publication consideration elsewhere, and has not been previously presented at a major meeting.
Director Name: Bahar Bassiri Gharb
Author Category: Medical Student
Presentation Category: Clinical
Abstract Category: General Reconstruction
Purpose
The efficacy of virtual visits in converting new patients into established patients undergoing surgical treatment has not been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient retention and surgical conversion rate after virtual plastic surgery consultation.
Methods
An IRB-approved retrospective review of all new plastic surgery patients seen between May and August 2020, at a single institution was conducted. Encounter type, chief complaint, demographics, treatment recommendation, insurance approval rate, number and modality of pre and postoperative visits, time to procedure, follow up, and complications were recorded. Patient retention and surgery conversion rate were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed with Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, and unpaired t-test.
Results
One-thousand-eight hundred and eighty-nine new patients were reviewed (1,635 in-person, 254 virtual). Virtual patients were younger (44.5 ± 19.0 versus 49.5 ± 20.7 years, p<0.001) and more than a third resided greater than 100 miles away (34% versus 8%, p<0.001). Virtual patients more frequently presented for cosmetic surgery (14% versus 7%, p<0.001), lymphedema (15% versus 3%, p<0.001), gender dysphoria (11% versus 2%, p<0.001), and infection (4% versus 2%, p<0.05). In-person patients presented more often for trauma (18% versus 5%, p<0.001), elective hand complaints (16% versus 3%, p<0.001), and breast reconstruction (9% versus 4%, p<0.01). There were no differences in patient retention (p=0.45) and procedure conversion rate (p=0.21) between the two groups.
Conclusion
Telemedicine provides an opportunity to increase the practice catchment area and it is as effective as in-person first encounters for establishing care and transition to surgery.
