Evaluating the Quality of Telephone Follow-Up After Spine Surgery: A Non-Inferiority Study

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether telephone-based physiotherapy follow-up after lumbar spine surgery can provide care comparable to traditional in-person visits. This study focuses on patients recovering from low back surgery and aims to see if telephone follow-ups can maintain quality while saving healthcare resources and reducing travel-related environmental impact. The study is observational and compares patient satisfaction, pain management, and functional recovery between the two follow-up methods. Participants are assigned to one of two groups based on their surgery day: one group receives in-person physiotherapy follow-up at the hospital, and the other has a structured telephone consultation. Both types of follow-up cover recovery assessment, pain management, mobility, exercise advice, and guidance for daily activities. The telephone group receives verbal evaluation and tailored advice without needing to visit the hospital physically. After the follow-up, all patients complete questionnaires about their satisfaction, pain, physical function, and quality of life immediately, then again at one and three months post-surgery. Researchers collect data from patient records, including demographics, surgery details, pain medication use, and time spent on follow-ups. The main outcome measured is the Oswestry Disability Index, with secondary measures assessing quality of life, satisfaction, and pain levels over the follow-up period.

Assessing the Quality of Telephone Follow-Up After Spine Surgery