The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility, patient satisfaction and time saving of a telemedical risk assessment and preoperative evaluation for anesthesia.
The preanesthesia evaluation and risk assessment is conducted by an anesthesiologist prior to
elective surgery. The physician assesses the patient´s medical records and specifies the
individual preoperative procedure in order to minimize the perioperative risks. The on-site
meeting is often connected with extended travel time and during the COVID-19 pandemic also
with an increased infection risk for the patient. This project was initiated to reduce time
efforts on patient site and to reduce possible infection risks. The TAPE-software turns every
patients home into a remote facility allowing the physician to conduct the preanesthesia
evaluation over distance.
Device: TAPE-Software
Telemedical Risk Assessment and Preoperative Evaluation prior to anaesthesia via personal computer
Inclusion Criteria:
- ≥18 years
- estimated ASA I/II classification based on the American Society of Anesthesiologists
(ASA) classification
- elective surgery
- surgery at least 14 days in the future
- patient access to a Windows-10-based personal computer with webcam
Exclusion Criteria:
- language or cognitive barriers (e.g. dementia, laryngectomy...)
- high risk surgeries with need of postoperative ICU stay
- acute infection with required auscultation
RWTH Aachen University Hospital
Aachen, Germany
Investigator: Andreas Follmann, Dr.
Contact: 0049 2418036219
afollmann@ukaachen.de
Andreas Follmann, Dr.
0049 0241 8036219
afollmann@ukaachen.de
Jan Wienhold, cand. med.
0049 0241 8036923
jwienhold@ukaachen.de