Telemedicine Follow-up for Bariatric Surgery Patients: What Do Patients Prefer

Our current bariatric practice: Bariatric surgery patients are expected to follow up with the bariatric surgery midlevel providers as well as with dietitians within 30-days after their bariatric procedure. The bariatric surgery midlevel providers are staffed and supported by our bariatric surgeons in case if they have questions or concerns. Patients do not get billed for post-operative visits within 90-days of global surgery period; the same global surgery rules apply to both in-person and telemedicine visits.

Patients are required to follow-up after surgery as part of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.

Adult (≥ 18 year-old) participants in the study will undergo primary Roux-en Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy and will randomized to telemedicine or in-person visit before their surgical procedure.

Patients who encounter unexpected intra-operative or post-operative complication or unexpected hospital course may not be offered telemedicine visits but will be included in our analysis. The performing surgeon will determine if a patient is illegible for telemedicine visit if unexpected course was encountered. However, analysis will be analysis to treat.

All participants will be contacted via telephone and will be surveyed about their post-operative care visits within 7-14 days after that visit, which is typically performed within 30-days after surgery. The survey will be developed in coordination with the Mayo Clinic Research Survey Center and will focus on the following aspects: baseline familiarity with technology, patients' satisfaction with the post-operative care they received, patients' preference of in-person vs telemedicine visits, patients' estimation of additional costs for their care outside of the direct medical costs, along with an open question that will ask patients to provide comments and feedback about their overall experience with their follow-up appointment.