Patient Proximity To Follow-up Care After Bariatric Surgery: Does It Matter?
One factor that may play a significant role in the follow-up care compliance and long-term weight loss of post-bariatric surgery patients is the geographical distance from the surgery center to the patient’s home address. This is a retrospective review which aims to evaluate whether the distance from a patient’s home address to two Gundersen Health System (GHS) facilities (La Crosse and Onalaska, Wisconsin) is predictive of follow-up appointment compliance and subsequent long-term weight loss. 1,336 patients undergoing bariatric surgery at GHS between October 15, 2013 and Dec 31, 2022 were included.