Digital Bariatrics News

Post-Operative Follow-up

5/30/2004 9:48:32 AM

Patients are encouraged to complete a "virtual visit" through the portal system one or two days before the follow-up appointment date. Our call center is also trained to recommend the virtual visit to the patient at the time of the appointment reminder. A virtual visit will ask the patient to complete three short forms (5-10 minutes).

1. An update on their status that contains custom created multiple choice questions for the patient (i.e. Are you having any difficulty with heartburn?)
2. An update of their co-morbid conditions, using the SRC co-morbidity grading system
3. An update on the status of their medications

In the waiting room, the patients that have completed a recent "virtual visit" through the portal system are provided a printout (via a letter template) of the virtual visit to review for accuracy. Those patients that have not completed a virtual visit are given a form (custom generated for the patient by a letter template) that contains all of the questions asked in a virtual visit.

The surgeon then reviews the form with the patient, documents a physical exam in the margin of the form and returns it to the coordinator. The coordinator then updates the BPM, adds a measured weight and a band adjustment, if performed and if any post-operative adverse events have developed, they are documented at this time. The coordinator then generates a complete letter to the patient's referring physician. The letter contains a chart demonstrating the weight loss and a list of all the co-morbid condition improvements, as well as medication profile. The follow-up letter allows for billing of a level-5 visit.