Telephone follow-up: an extension of the surgical outpatient department.

A total of 112 surgical patients took part in telephone follow-up, conducted by non-medical staff, after discharge home. Successful telephone follow-up was achieved in 93% of patients at 6 weeks, 91% at 3 months and 79% at 12 months. Telephone follow-up by non-medical staff is a practical method of assessing patient outcome after surgery. Wider use of this technique would free up time in the surgical clinics, without compromising audits of outcome and purchaser demands for evidence of efficacy.