Technology, Social Media, and Telemedicine Utilization for Rural Hand and Upper-Extremity Patients.

Purpose: To define technology and social media use among rural upper-extremity patients. In addition, we aimed to assess how patients use social media in relation to health care and their willingness to participate in telemedicine programs.

Methods: An anonymous multiple-choice written survey was administered to 550 upper-extremity patients at 4 rural outreach clinics.

Telemedicine After Upper Extremity Surgery: A Prospective Study of Program Implementation.

Purpose: Our purpose was to evaluate the implementation of a postoperative hand and upper extremity telemedicine program. We aimed to compare travel burden, visit time, and patient satisfaction between an initial postoperative telemedicine visit and a second conventional in-clinic visit.

Methods: Telemedicine guidelines established by our hospital system were used as inclusion criteria for this prospective study, which included patients indicated for surgery in the outpatient clinic during a 3-month period.