Telephone consultations for follow-up of interstitial lung disease: Patient satisfaction survey

Introduction The long-term follow-up required by Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) patients imposes a significant burden on healthcare resources. Telephone consultations have been piloted as an alternative to some face-to-face consultations in a teaching hospital based ILD service. Patients whose next consult is anticipated to be uncomplicated (eg stable patients having interval lung function tests) are offered a phone consult with the ILD consultant. Aims and Objectives To assess whether ILD patients are as satisfied with a telephone consultation as with a face-to-face consult. Methods A postal survey was sent to 95 consecutive ILD patients who had a phone consult over a 12-month period. Patients used a 5-point score to report if, in comparison to a face-to-face consult, the phone consult was as punctual, convenient, reassuring, and afforded the same opportunity to ask questions, and facilitated the same understanding of information. Results 52 patients (55%) posted responses (see Table 1). 67% agreed phone consults were as punctual. 78% agreed they were as convenient. 77% felt as reassured and as able to ask questions. 88% understood the information given just as easily. 80% were willing to have another phone consult. View this table: Table 1 Discussion The majority of ILD patients selected for a telephone consultation were at least as satisfied as with a face-to-face consult. Telephone consultations are acceptable to the majority of ILD patients for at least some of their follow-up.