Telemedicine and other technological advancements have changed the way gastroenterologists approach postoperative care.
Richard Hodin, MD, serves as the chief of Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital's Division of General and Gastrointestinal and the Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery. He spoke with Becker's ASC Review about the trends he's seeing in postoperative gastrointestinal treatment.
Here's what he had to say:
Editor's note: Dr. Hodin's response was edited lightly for clarity and length.
Dr. Richard Hodin: In the realm of postoperative surgical care, home hospital programs are being developed that allow for patients to return more quickly to their comfortable home environment by utilizing resources from the hospital that can provide advanced care in the home setting.
Some of this care can be provided through telemedicine approaches, while some require actual home visits. The result is better, more comfortable care for the patient while saving the high costs associated with hospital stays.
We now are understanding that the traditional outcome measures we have used for
years, such as standard surgical complications and survival curves, are not enough. The true
patient experience is much more complex. Patient-reported outcome measures are
being examined and providing a more nuanced and accurate assessment of the impact of surgical interventions on quality of life.