Ideas That Work: Video Greeting

My orthopedic patients are often groggy from the effects of anesthesia when I meet with them minutes after surgery to let them know how the procedure went and what to expect during the initial hours of recovery. That’s why I record short videos on an iPad in the OR hallway to thank patients by name for coming to our surgery center. I discuss what I saw and did during the procedure, and touch on key elements of pain management and wound care, and tell them when to schedule the follow-up clinic appointment. We send the videos in a HIPAA-compliant email to patients, who love to receive the personalized messages when they get home. An unexpected and added bonus: I’ve received fewer post-op phone calls from patients who don’t fully understand discharge instructions or have questions about what they’re experiencing during recovery.

Brian Busconi, MD
UMass Memorial Health Care
Worcester, Mass.
[email protected]