THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POSTOPERATIVE ANESTHETIC VISIT - DO REPEATED VISITS IMPROVE PATIENT SATISFACTION OR PHYSICIAN RECOGNITION

This study evaluates whether repeated postoperative visits by the anes thesiologist improve patient ability to recall the anesthesiologist's name and the patient's perception of and satisfaction with anesthesia services. In a randomized, prospective trial, 144 patients with an ant icipated postoperative length of stay of at least three days were enro lled in three groups: Group A patients (n = 48) had one postoperative visit, Group B (n = 48) had two postoperative visits, and Group C (n = 48) had three postoperative visits. All postoperative visits were per formed by the attending anesthesiologist on consecutive postoperative days. Patients were contacted two days after their last postoperative visit to complete a study questionnaire. Patients were able to recall the anesthesiologist's name significantly less frequently than the sur geon's name, and there was no difference in name recall among groups. Recall was not affected by patient age, sex, or ASA physical status; t he mode of contact (telephone versus personal visit); the anesthesiolo gist's gender; the presence of preoperative medication; or the identit y of the preoperative evaluator. Patients could identify the anesthesi ologist's gender approximately 85% of the time, regardless of group, a nd were more Likely to identify female anesthesiologists (P = 0.026, o dds ratio 3.3). Patient evaluation of hospital, surgical, and anesthes ia care was favorable in all groups and did not vary with group. Incre asing the number of postoperative visits does not improve patient name recognition of the anesthesiologist or increase patient satisfaction with or perception of anesthesia services.