Effect of Pre-operative Virtual Visits on Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Surgery

Effect of Pre-operative Virtual Visits on Care of Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Surgery

Patients with head and neck cancer often undergo complex surgeries requiring significant care post-operatively. This presents considerable psychosocial challenges in addition to their need to physically recover from a large surgery.

The study team will interview patients who have undergone virtual visits before their surgical procedures. The study aims to explore patients' experiences, satisfaction, and perceptions of virtual visits for informing and preparing them for surgery and their postoperative care needs.

The study team will also analyze the effects of the virtual visits on financial costs and patient outcomes such as length of hospital stay, delayed discharges due to social issues, and whether the virtual visits identified any significant medical concerns, etc. The study team will compare these to a randomly selected cohort of patients who also underwent surgical resection and reconstruction for head and neck cancer that did not get pre-operative virtual visits.

Inclusion Criteria (Pre-operative Visit Arm)

• Patients > 18 years
• Underwent surgery for head and neck cancer with free flap reconstruction at the University of Michigan
• Underwent a pre-operative virtual visit.

Inclusion Criteria (NO Pre-operative Visit Arm)

• Patients > 18 years
• Underwent surgery for head and neck cancer with free flap reconstruction at the University of Michigan

Exclusion Criteria (Pre-operative Visit Arm)

• Patients who died within 60 days of surgery for head and neck cancer with free flap reconstruction at the University of Michigan.

Exclusion Criteria (NO Pre-operative Visit Arm)

• Patients who died within 60 days of surgery for head and neck cancer with free flap reconstruction at the University of Michigan.
• Patient underwent a pre-operative virtual visit.