“Speed Dating with Your Plastic Surgeon” Plastic Surgery Teleconsultation in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Background: the COVID-19 pandemic has mandated adaptations in our daily behavior and practices. Although many aspects have come to a halt during lockdown periods, patients still seek consultations and medical advice. Remote consultations by video (VC) or telemedicine have therefore become quite popular. Aim: to evaluate whether short VCs are comparable to in-person consultations when measuring conversion rates and the physician’s satisfaction. Methods: during one of the lockdown periods, teleconsultations were offered by two independent plastic surgery offices. The conversion rates from consultation to treatment and from VC to an in-person consultation were calculated. The quality of the consultations was evaluated by comparing the treatment offered to that given. Results: between March 16th and April 19th, 2020, 238 patients responded to an advertisement for a free VC offered by the first office, and 38 (16%) of them used the service. The conversion for an in-person office re-consultation was 26% (10/38), with 80% (8/10) of them treated after the re-consultation. In the second office, 700 patients responded to the facial rejuvenation consultation offer. Forty two (6%) of them agreed to pay for the VC, and out of those 10 (24%) later converted to an office consultation and treatment. All the surgical procedures and interventions offered during the VCs were administered. Conclusions: a short VC can be effective for screening patients for cosmetic plastic surgery. Conversion rates were high among patients coming for in-person consultations after a VC. We believe that offering short, free VCs can significantly increase these conversion rates, and is cost-effective. © Salus Internazionale ECM srl.