Telemedicine in Surgery: Efficiencies for Pre and Post Surgery

Welcome to the Executive Innovation Show Podcast, brought to you by One Touch Telehealth. During this podcast hear host, Carrie Chitsey, talk with Dr. Sonya M. Sloan, Andy Poole, and Dr. John Noble, Jr.

Dr. Sonya M. Sloan, better known as #OrthoDoc, has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the male-dominated field of Orthopedic Surgery. She travels the country to extend the impact of her unique approach to patient care, including locum tenens and telemedicine one of the first ventures of its kind.

She’s a highly sought-after public figure for health awareness, health development programs, and motivational speaking. Author of the book “The Rules of Medicine a Medical Professionals Guide to Success.”

Andy Poole is the CEO of Monticello Community Surgery Center. They are a multi-specialty Ambulatory Surgery Center located in Charlottesville, Virginia and have an innovative model that allows them to care for patients from across the country. He is a seasoned healthcare executive with a rich background in successful healthcare administration.

Dr. John Noble, Jr. is President and Chairman of Better Day Health. He is a lifelong entrepreneur and has practiced orthopedic surgery for 24 years. He continues to have a very active practice and helped develop Better Day’s comprehensive clinical operating system. He is interested in improving the efficiency of the practice of medicine.

Listen to “Telehealth Efficiencies: Pre and Post Surgery” as we discuss:

  • In this episode learn more about how the role of the surgeon has changed over the years. What are these changes and how has that affected physician and patient experience? We talk with Dr. Sonya Sloan as she states that technology is the biggest change she has seen for surgeons.
  • What about the changes from an executive point of view? As the CEO of Monticello Community Surgery Center, Andy Poole talks about the factors he has seen change. From patient demands for transparency to the rise of value-based care, he talks about the innovative ways he is transforming healthcare within his organization.
  • Should you be using telehealth for pre-consults? As a first-mover in telehealth, Dr. Sloan talks about what her experience has been. She lays out examples of when telehealth for pre-consults is important. From second opinion consults to that initial conversation with the patient and caregiver, telehealth allows doctors to create the human to human connection in the pre-consult phase. It also works to improve the accessibility to physicians and allows competitive advantage in the pre-consult phase to build better patient relationships.
  • Andy Poole talks about how to establish trust using telehealth. He explains that this initial conversation is a critical relationship builder before a patient goes into surgery.
  • Are post-surgery consults filling your waiting room? While telehealth is not a one size fits all, where does it work? We ask Dr. Sonya Sloan, what are some of the post-surgery consults that can be done through telehealth? She believes that incision post-op care is ideal and other areas we’re a physical exam in office is not needed. What other consults should you be thinking about for using telehealth?
  • As value-based care becomes used more in healthcare organizations, the concern of unnecessary ER visits is prominent. Where do we see telehealth helping reduce ER admissions? Andy Poole states that telehealth can be used very well to stem off problems that come down the line after surgery. He continues on to say that the more that can be done to catch a problem before it builds is where technology plays an important role. Telehealth allows you to address problems quickly and easily.
  • With the rise of assisted living, long term care, and home health, social determinants such as transportation issues and cost will only continue to increase. How do we solve this problem? It’s a logistical standpoint that is sometimes forgotten but an important aspect post-surgery that can determine the best communication method for the ideal post op care outcomes.
  • Dr. Sloan talks about how she sees the future of telehealth will be used to triage prior to surgery and you won’t be able to just book an appointment to discuss surgery without a telehealth consult. Will this declutter the waiting room?
  • We talk with Dr. John Noble about how the role of the surgeon has changed over the last few years and new healthcare tech coming into play. While healthcare has lagged in its role in technology, there is tremendous potential ahead for those surgeons who embrace this new technology.
  • How will technology help with doctor burnout? Listen as Dr. Noble explains how healthcare technologies like telehealth will improve the physician experience.
  • As we look at pre-consults and post-operative Baby Boomers’ their caregivers (Gen X) are asking more questions pre-surgery than ever before. Especially in specialty medicine, where traveling for an initial appointment can be hours just one-way. Pre-consults should not have patients drive a total of eight hours! With telehealth, you can provide convenience for the consumer/patient.
  • Most calls from patients post-surgery are “anxiety filled” as the change of condition is new for them, but normal to the physician if they can just see it. Dr. Noble talks about how “a simple telehealth visit for three or four minutes can reassure them and prevent a whole lot of trouble for everybody.” We talk about how easy telehealth can triage to prevent the overuse of the emergency department. Dr. Noble talks about how this continued use of the ER is wasteful and expensive for patients post-surgery where you have to run unnecessary tests to validate everything is normal post procedure.
  • As an innovative doctor, we ask Dr. John Noble where he sees the future of healthcare technology in 2020 and 2021. Which advances are truly going to help him as a physician?
  • As always, we ask our guests “What’s keeping you at night?” Listen as these healthcare executives mull over the things that keep them up at night. From doctor burnout to the uncertainty in reimbursement, hear their answers here.

Keep up with the #OrthoDocDr. Sonya Sloan and read her book, “The Rules of Medicine a Medical Professionals Guide to Success.”

Follow Andy Poole and Monticello Community Surgery Center as they continue on their journey in Virginia.

Stay tuned and follow the innovative and forward-thinking Dr. John Noble on LinkedIn.

Want to learn more about the Pros and Cons of Telehealth? Check out the white paper from One Touch Telehealth. We discuss operational

efficiencies beyond just increased revenue.

Executive Innovations: Telehealth Efficiencies: Pre and Post Surgery