Posters
Presenting Author Academic/Professional Position
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 1)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 2)
Medical Student
Academic Level (Author 3)
Medical Student
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Clinical Science
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: Managing patient expectations before surgery is essential to improving the surgical experience. A key aspect of this is understanding the impact of surgery on work attendance. While patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are commonly used to assess health conditions, less attention has been given to how work attendance, both before and after surgery, can inform preoperative counseling. This is especially relevant for patients concerned about taking time off work. Analyzing work attendance can reveal patterns that help patients make informed decisions, improve long-term outcomes, and enhance satisfaction by setting achievable recovery timelines. This study aims to explore how this data can guide preoperative counseling and expectations management.
Methods: Researchers evaluated anonymized data collected by a health maintenance organization. Surveys were administered before surgery and again at 120 days post-surgery. De-identified responses from 439 patients (2021-2023) were analyzed, focusing on high-volume procedures; hernia surgery (n = 36), shoulder surgery (n = 7), and total knee replacement (n = 14). Patients were asked to rate the days of missed work pre surgery and 120 days post-surgery. Options included 0 Days, 1-2 Days, 3-4 Days, 5-6 Days, and 7+ Days.
Results: Interestingly, most patients responded with 0 Days of missed work before and after their surgery. Hernia patients demonstrated the biggest change with 5 patients answering 1-2 Days, 1 patient answering 3-4 Days and 1 patient answering 7 or more Days of missed work before surgery. All patients reported 0 Days of missed work in their 3-month follow-up. 4 patients undergoing shoulder surgery missed 7 or more days of work before surgery and 0 days of work after surgery, with one patient reporting missing 1-2 days.
Conclusion: A key factor in surgical scheduling is determining time away from work for patients. Oftentimes, many patients do not have the luxury to be off from work for an extended period of time. Future studies could include open-ended questions to better understand why their condition kept them from going to work. Acquiring tangible metrics through PROs that compare time away from work pre-surgery and post-surgery can help convince patients that a surgical approach may be the solution to their problems as opposed to dealing with the potential chronic pain and work nonattendance associated to their conditions. The results show that patients generally miss minimal work both before and after their procedures, indicating surgery has a limited impact on work attendance. This can help reassure patients and set realistic expectations during preoperative counseling. Future studies should explore larger, more diverse patient populations to validate these findings and identify factors influencing work attendance, such as job type, recovery protocols, or individual health concerns.
Recommended Citation
Bonilla, Paul; Elizondo, Victoria; and Flanagan, Juan Pablo, "Analyzing the Impact of Surgery on Reducing Missed Workdays" (2025). Research Symposium. 124.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/124
Included in
Analyzing the Impact of Surgery on Reducing Missed Workdays
Background: Managing patient expectations before surgery is essential to improving the surgical experience. A key aspect of this is understanding the impact of surgery on work attendance. While patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are commonly used to assess health conditions, less attention has been given to how work attendance, both before and after surgery, can inform preoperative counseling. This is especially relevant for patients concerned about taking time off work. Analyzing work attendance can reveal patterns that help patients make informed decisions, improve long-term outcomes, and enhance satisfaction by setting achievable recovery timelines. This study aims to explore how this data can guide preoperative counseling and expectations management.
Methods: Researchers evaluated anonymized data collected by a health maintenance organization. Surveys were administered before surgery and again at 120 days post-surgery. De-identified responses from 439 patients (2021-2023) were analyzed, focusing on high-volume procedures; hernia surgery (n = 36), shoulder surgery (n = 7), and total knee replacement (n = 14). Patients were asked to rate the days of missed work pre surgery and 120 days post-surgery. Options included 0 Days, 1-2 Days, 3-4 Days, 5-6 Days, and 7+ Days.
Results: Interestingly, most patients responded with 0 Days of missed work before and after their surgery. Hernia patients demonstrated the biggest change with 5 patients answering 1-2 Days, 1 patient answering 3-4 Days and 1 patient answering 7 or more Days of missed work before surgery. All patients reported 0 Days of missed work in their 3-month follow-up. 4 patients undergoing shoulder surgery missed 7 or more days of work before surgery and 0 days of work after surgery, with one patient reporting missing 1-2 days.
Conclusion: A key factor in surgical scheduling is determining time away from work for patients. Oftentimes, many patients do not have the luxury to be off from work for an extended period of time. Future studies could include open-ended questions to better understand why their condition kept them from going to work. Acquiring tangible metrics through PROs that compare time away from work pre-surgery and post-surgery can help convince patients that a surgical approach may be the solution to their problems as opposed to dealing with the potential chronic pain and work nonattendance associated to their conditions. The results show that patients generally miss minimal work both before and after their procedures, indicating surgery has a limited impact on work attendance. This can help reassure patients and set realistic expectations during preoperative counseling. Future studies should explore larger, more diverse patient populations to validate these findings and identify factors influencing work attendance, such as job type, recovery protocols, or individual health concerns.
