Follow-up via Telemedicine vs In-Person Visits in Orthopedic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials .

This review looked at randomized trials evaluating telemedicine for postoperative orthopedic follow-up, focusing on how satisfied patients were with virtual care. Across seven trials, telemedicine performed much like in-person visits: satisfaction rates were similar, pain scores were comparable at all measured time points, and complications occurred at similar frequencies. Patients often appreciated the convenience, with some studies showing meaningful savings in travel time and cost. Still, conclusions about satisfaction should be cautious—many studies used brief or poorly validated tools, and most reported very high satisfaction rates regardless of follow-up method. More rigorous trials with standardized satisfaction measures are needed to better understand how patients truly experience telemedicine.