Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Apr;31(4):1877-1881.
doi: 10.1007/s11695-020-05059-1. Epub 2020 Oct 27.

Convergent Mixed Methods Exploration of Telehealth in Bariatric Surgery: Maximizing Provider Resources and Access

Grace F Chao  1   2   3 , Anne P Ehlers  4   5   6 , Chad Ellimoottil  6   7 , Oliver A Varban  5   6 , Justin B Dimick  5   6 , Dana A Telem  5   6
Affiliations

Convergent Mixed Methods Exploration of Telehealth in Bariatric Surgery: Maximizing Provider Resources and Access

Grace F Chao et al. Obes Surg. 2021 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Telehealth may be an important care delivery modality in reducing dropout from bariatric surgery programs which is reported globally at approximately 50%.

Methods: In this convergent mixed methods case study of a large, US healthcare system, we examine the impact of telehealth implementation in 2020 on pre-operative bariatric surgery visits and provider perspectives of telehealth use.

Results: We find that telehealth was significantly associated with a 38% reduction in no-show rate compared with the prior year. Additionally, providers had positive experiences with regard to the appropriateness and feasibility of using telehealth in the pre-operative bariatric surgery process.

Conclusions: Telehealth use in the pre-operative bariatric surgery process may lead to greater efficiency in healthcare resource utilization. Insurance providers and bariatric accreditation bodies globally should consider accepting telehealth visits and self-reported weights when determining coverage decisions to ensure access for patients.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Telehealth.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Telehealth use in pre-operative bariatric surgery visits
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Campos GM, Khoraki J, Browning MG, Pessoa BM, Mazzini GS, Wolfe L. Changes in utilization of bariatric surgery in the United States from 1993 to 2016. Ann Surg. 2020;271(2):201–209. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000003554. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Alvarez R, Matusko N, Stricklen AL, Ross R, Buda CM, Varban OA. Factors associated with bariatric surgery utilization among eligible candidates: who drops out? Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2018;14(12):1903–1910. doi: 10.1016/j.soard.2018.08.014. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Jakobsen GS, Hofso D, Roislien J, Sandbu R, Hjelmesaeth J. Morbidly obese patients--who undergoes bariatric surgery? Obes Surg. 2010;20(8):1142–1148. doi: 10.1007/s11695-009-0053-y. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Taylor T, Wang Y, Rogerson W, Bavin L, Sharon C, Beban G, Evennett N, Gamble G, Cundy T. Attrition after acceptance onto a publicly funded bariatric surgery program. Obes Surg. 2018;28(8):2500–2507. doi: 10.1007/s11695-018-3195-y. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pitzul KB, Jackson T, Crawford S, Kwong JC, Sockalingam S, Hawa R, et al. Understanding disposition after referral for bariatric surgery: when and why patients referred do not undergo surgery. Obes Surg. 2014;24(1):134–140. doi: 10.1007/s11695-013-1083-z. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types