Assessing the Quality of Telephone Follow-Up After Spine Surgery
ConditionLow Back Pain
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot listed
Trial typeObservational
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorAalborg University Hospital
About this trial
The aim of this study is to investigate whether the quality of physiotherapy follow-up after spinal surgery can be maintained when conducted by telephone rather than in-person. The study is motivated by the desire to save healthcare resources and reduce the environmental impact of patient travel. Data from patient records, including age, sex, surgery procedure, use of pain medication, and time spent on either phone or in-person follow-ups, will be collected to evaluate whether telephone-based follow-up is an effective and sustainable alternative for post-operative care.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Patients who have undergone lumbar spine surgery at the Department of Neurosurgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.
Able to read and understand Danish.
Disqualifiers
Withdrawel of consent
Trial population
Adults undergoing lumbar spine surgery at Aalborg University Hospital, Neurosurgical Department, who are able to read and understand Danish and consent to participate in the study.
Trial design
Design model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Treatments tested in this trial
Telephone post-surgery physiotherapy follow-up
Other interventionPost-operative physiotherapy follow-up delivered via a structured telephone consultation. The session focuses on recovery after lumbar spine surgery, addressing pain management, mobility, exercise recommendations, and guidance on daily activities. The physiotherapist evaluates the patient's status verbally, answers questions, and provides tailored advice to support safe rehabilitation without requiring the patient to attend the hospital physically.
In person post-operative physiotherapy follow-up
Other interventionPost-operative physiotherapy follow-up delivered as an in-person consultation at the hospital. The session includes assessment of recovery after lumbar spine surgery, hands-on evaluation if needed, and tailored advice on pain management, mobility, exercise progression, and daily activity. This format allows the physiotherapist to physically observe and, if relevant, demonstrate exercises to ensure correct performance and safe rehabilitation.
Treatment groups
200 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Patients undergoing surgery for low back pain receiving in-person physiotherapy follow-up1 intervention
Group B: Patients undergoing surgery for low back pain receiving telephone physiotherapy follow-up1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Oswestry Disability Index
The ODI is a validated questionnaire assessing disability related to low back pain. It includes 10 items covering pain and daily functional limitations. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, where 0 represents minimal limitation and 5 represents severe limitation. The total score ranges from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
Time frame
Immediately after the postoperative follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist, 1 month, and 3 months post-surgery.Secondary outcomes
1
Health related quality of life
The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire is a standardized measure of health-related quality of life recommended for multimorbidity research. The EQ-5D-5L assesses health status across five dimensions, including mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. Each dimension is rated on a five-point ordinal scale ranging from 1 (indicating no problems) to 5 (indicating extreme difficulties) The EQ-5D index score can be regarded as a continuous outcome and ranges from -0.624 to 1, with higher scores indicating better general health and quality of life.
Time frame
Immediately after the postoperative follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist, 1 month, and 3 months post-surgery.2
Patient Satisfaction with Follow-up (Modified CSQ-8)
Patient satisfaction will be assessed using a modified version of the validated Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8). The original 8-item instrument measures overall satisfaction with healthcare services. For this study, the questionnaire has been adapted to specifically reflect the follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist, ensuring that responses relate to the guidance and instruction provided during the post-operative follow-up. Modifications include context-specific wording, such as "...based on the follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist," while maintaining the original structure and response options. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction.
Time frame
Immediately after the postoperative follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist, 1 month, and 3 months post-surgery.3
Back and leg pain (VAS, 0-100 mm)
Leg pain and back pain will be assessed using a 0-100 mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 represents "no pain" and 100 represents "worst imaginable pain."
Time frame
Immediately after the postoperative follow-up consultation with the physiotherapist, 1 month, and 3 months post-surgery.Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov