METHODS: This is a cross-sectional feasibility study. Post-surgical breast, plastic, and hepatobiliary patients with wounds and/or surgical drains were recruited using convenience sampling. The control group received conventional care which consisted of daily telephone follow-up. The intervention group used a mobile wound application to take wound and drain images, report drainage amount and symptoms. Compliance was assessed by measuring the percentage of actual to expected patient entries, feasibility was assessed by comparing detection of abnormalities and unexpected hospital visits, and acceptability was assessed by subjective feedback from nurses and patients from the intervention group.
RESULTS: 59 patients were recruited, with 30 patients in the control group and 29 patients in the intervention group. 9 specialty nurses were involved in the patients\' post-discharge care. The mean compliance rate for the hepatobiliary, breast and plastic patients were 89.9 %, 89.5 % and 75.9 % respectively. 4 patients from the intervention group (13.8 %) and 6 patients from the control group (20.1 %) were flagged as having potential abnormalities. As for unexpected hospital visits, there were 2 (6.9 %) in the intervention group and 1 (3.4 %) in the control group. 25 patients and 9 specialty nurses responded to the feedback survey. 22 patients (88 %) did not face any application issues. 18 patients (72 %) preferred to self-report symptoms via the application rather than to call the nurses and reported feeling safe knowing that they are remotely monitored. Most nurses found the app convenient and timesaving (n = 7, 78 %), with monitoring through pictures as more accurate than phone conversation (n = 8, 89 %).
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that use of a mobile application by surgical patients discharged with wounds or drains is feasible and serves as a viable monitoring tool.
方法:这是一项横断面可行性研究。乳房术后,塑料,使用方便采样招募有伤口和/或手术引流的肝胆患者。对照组给予常规护理,包括每日电话随访。干预组使用移动伤口应用程序拍摄伤口和引流图像,报告排水量和症状。通过测量实际与预期患者条目的百分比来评估依从性,通过比较异常和意外住院的检测来评估可行性,通过干预组护士和患者的主观反馈来评估可接受性。
结果:招募了59名患者,对照组30例,干预组29例。9名专业护士参与了患者出院后的护理。肝胆疾病的平均依从率,乳房和整形患者占89.9%,分别为89.5%和75.9%。干预组的4例患者(13.8%)和对照组的6例患者(20.1%)被标记为具有潜在异常。至于意外的医院就诊,干预组2例(6.9%),对照组1例(3.4%).25名患者和9名专科护士回应了反馈调查。22名患者(88%)没有面临任何应用问题。18名患者(72%)更喜欢通过应用程序自我报告症状,而不是打电话给护士,并报告感到安全,因为他们知道自己被远程监控。大多数护士发现该应用程序既方便又省时(n=7,78%),通过图片进行监控比电话交谈更准确(n=8,89%)。
结论:结果表明,带伤口或引流的手术患者使用移动应用程序是可行的,并且可以作为可行的监测工具。