Optimal timing for phone calls after skin surgery

A new study provides insight into how the timing of post-operative phone calls can address pain, bleeding and overall patient satisfaction.

Aug. 28, 2020

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Nicholas Golda, MD

A new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and MU Health Care provides insight into how the timing of post-operative phone calls can address pain, bleeding and overall patient satisfaction.

While the study identified when a patient is most at-risk for active pain, no single test group showed statistically significant differences in terms of the overall patient experience.

"While surgeons may elect to make follow-up calls, these do not seem to strongly contribute to overall patient satisfaction," said Nicholas Golda, associate professor of dermatology at the MU School of Medicine. "It is somewhat surprising that the control group's experience, quality of care and willingness to recommend scores matched the groups that received follow-up calls. This finding is contrary to our previously held belief that these calls directly affect patient satisfaction."

Read more from the School of Medicine

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