Dear Editor,
We intently reviewed a “Comment on “Virtual Care for Bariatric Patient During COVID-19 Pandemic”.” We agree that infrastructure concerns may make virtual care undesirable or even impossible for some patients. However, the implementation of virtual care, particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic, has afforded the use of multiple platforms capable of care delivery. These include dedicated internet programs and voice over internet platforms, as well as traditional telephone communication. Of course, a particular patient or region may not have this infrastructure available making in person visits the most viable option. However, we contend that these varied methods increase options for access rather than limiting them. This is evidenced in this work.
Patient privacy is of paramount concern in any surgeon–patient relationship. The credentialing authority at the site of this investigation offers strict guidelines for safeguarding patient privacy and obtaining informed consent prior to such visits (http://www.cpsm.mb.ca/telemedicine-virtual-medicine). We suggest that all practitioners familiarize themselves with local requirements prior to engaging in virtual care.
Finally, we agree that rare adverse events can occur when engaging with any new means of care. Unfortunately, we were not able to obtain the primary manuscript referred to in this letter and the other reference appears to be a letter to the editor. While we acknowledge that the referenced complications exist, we challenge that the potential benefits outweigh the risk. Additionally, the specific risk mentioned could likely be mitigated by the different available platforms. Future exploration may better investigate this issue.
Declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Footnotes
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