Follow-Up Phone Calls After Colorectal Surgery

Follow-up with patients after surgery is necessary to assess levels of rehabilitation, answer questions and expresses an attitude of caring, as well as assist in marketing procedures for the hospital or institution (Fallis, 2001). Surveillance after discharge from the hospital may be difficult as most patients are no longer monitored by health care professionals. If home health care is not required, the patient may not have contact with his/her doctor or nurse until the follow-up appointment which frequently is 4- 6 weeks post surgery.

There is evidence in the literature that telephone contact is beneficial for patients. The strongest and most current evidence came from a meta-analysis by Meade (2004) on research supporting phone calls post-operatively for hospitalized patients. This analysis provided a significant and valid review of health care professionals providing this service, looking at various patient populations and different hospital settings. 29 articles were published from 1981 to 2004 and reviewed to gather a compilation of research findings in this area. Regardless of the design of the research, the findings suggest that follow-up phone calls to patients after discharge provide invaluable opportunities to enhance practice in the following areas: Appraisal and evaluation of patient education, Practice improvement trends, Quality of care, Medication compliance and adherence to discharge instructions, Evaluation of overall hospital performance.

There is no evidence specifically addressing telephone contact after discharge in the colorectal surgery population which will be the basis of this study. Nurses providing follow-up phone calls to patients in the early post operative phase may assist in preventing or minimizing the effects of postoperative complications by reinforcing discharge instructions, answering patients' questions, and assessing their concerns. Potential serious complications may therefore be addressed early.

The purpose of this study is to assess if follow-up telephone calls after surgery affects patient satisfaction, surgical outcomes and quality of life in the early post-operative phase after colorectal surgery. In addition, tracking of readmissions, complications and emergency room visits via telephone calls can ensure communication between the patients and the surgical office is optimal.