Participants laud group
education and support, says study in plastic and reconstructive surgery
For
women considering breast reduction surgery, initial evaluation at a shared
medical appointment (SMA) provides excellent patient satisfaction in a more
efficient clinic visit, reports a study in the December issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®,
the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
(ASPS).
Shared
medical appointments have additional benefits, including "group learning,
peer support, and a sense of solidarity and commonality" among women
learning about breast reduction surgery, according to the study by Dr. Aviram
M. Giladi of University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues.
Shared
Medical Appointment for Macromastia
The
researchers offered shared medical appointments to women undergoing initial
evaluation for symptomatic macromastia--pain and other symptoms related to
large breasts. Patients were given the choice between an SMA and a traditional,
one-on-one appointment with the plastic surgeon.
In
addition to an individual, private examination and discussion of surgical
options, the SMA approach included a group information and education session
with the surgeon. On average, eight patients (each accompanied by one female
guest) participated in the group session.
Patient
satisfaction rates were compared for 26 women who chose an SMA against 26 who
chose traditional appointments. Results demonstrated very high patient
satisfaction rates--89 percent overall and 92 percent with regard to the
thoroughness of care, in both the shared and individual appointment groups. More
than 75 percent of patients who participated in the shared appointments said
they would be likely to choose the same option in the future.
Concurrently,
the SMA approach "more than doubled provider efficiency and clinic
workflow," according to Dr. Giladi and colleagues. By combining some of
the common informational aspects of the usual individual visit in the group
portion of the visit, "The number of patients seen per hour substantially
increased with the SMA model, as did each patient's total interaction with the
surgeon." Including the educational session, SMA patients enjoyed four
times longer total contact time with the surgeon.
For Patients, a Shared
Medical Appointment Has Additional Benefits
Many
women in the SMA group said they appreciated hearing the questions and concerns
raised by other patients. One woman commented, "All the different
questions asked and everyone having the same problem helped me not be shy and
ask everything I needed to."
The
concept of a group medical visit is not new--it was originally introduced for
routine physical exams, and to improve long-term management of chronic diseases
such as diabetes. Shared medical appointments have since expanded to a wide
range of specialties and patient groups.
The
SMA approach--combining traditional patient evaluation with a "community
learning environment"-- also has benefits for women being evaluated for
breast reduction surgery, the new study suggests. Dr Giladi and coauthors
conclude, "We are able to provide this enhanced patient experience, built
on camaraderie, peer support, and group education, while improving provider and
clinic efficiency."
The
study provides new evidence that patients find benefits in group consultation
for breast reduction surgery, according to this month's introductory video by
Rod J. Rohrich, MD, Editor-in-Chief, on the Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery website. "Macromastia patients liked shared
medical appointments," says Dr. Rohrich. "It'll be exciting to see
how patients with other conditions react to this unique practice as it
continues to grow."
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