TY - JOUR T1 - Virtual outpatient clinic as an alternative to an actual clinic visit after surgical discharge: a randomised controlled trial JF - BMJ Quality & Safety JO - BMJ Qual Saf SP - 24 LP - 31 DO - 10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008171 VL - 28 IS - 1 AU - Paul Healy AU - Liam McCrone AU - Roisin Tully AU - Emer Flannery AU - Aoife Flynn AU - Caitriona Cahir AU - Mayilone Arumugasamy AU - Thomas Walsh Y1 - 2019/01/01 UR - http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/28/1/24.abstract N2 - Background It is standard practice to review all patients following discharge at a follow-up clinic but demands on all health services outweigh resources and unnecessary review appointments may delay or deny access to patients with greater needs.Aims This randomised trial aimed to establish whether a virtual outpatient clinic (VOPC) was an acceptable alternative to an actual outpatient clinic (OPC) attendance for a broad range of general surgical patients following a hospital admission.Patients and methods All patients admitted under one general surgical service over the study period were assessed. If eligible for inclusion the rationale, randomisation and follow-up methods were explained, consent was sought and patients randomised to receive either a VOPC or an OPC appointment.Results Two-hundred and nine patients consented to study inclusion, of which 98/107 (91.6%) in the VOPC group and 83/102 (81.4%) in the OPC group were successfully contacted. Only 6 patients in the OPC group and 10 in the VOPC group reported ongoing issues. A further follow-up indicated 78 of 82 (95%) VOPC patients were very happy with their overall experience compared with 34/61 (56%) in the actual OPC group (p<0.001). A significant proportion of both cohorts—68/82 (83%) in VOPC group and 41/61 (67%) in OPC group (p = 0.029)—preferred a VOPC appointment as their future follow-up of choice.Conclusions The majority of patients discharged from a surgical service could be better followed up by a virtual clinic with a significant proportion of patients reporting a preference for and a greater satisfaction with such a service. ER -