App reduces number of postop follow-up visits

Editor's Note

Ambulatory surgery patients who received follow-up care via a mobile app had fewer in-person visits during the first 30 days after surgery, finds this study.

Of 65 women having outpatient breast reconstruction surgery, 32 were in the mobile app group, and 33 were in the in-person follow-up care group. Those in the mobile app group attended 0.40 times fewer in-person visits for follow-up care and sent more emails to their health care professionals during the first 30 days after surgery than the in-person group.

The mobile app group reported higher convenience scores than the in-person care group. There was no difference between groups in the number of telephone communications, satisfaction scores, or complication rates.

Follow-up care delivered via a mobile app can be used to eliminate in-person visits during the first 30 days after ambulatory breast reconstruction surgery, the researchers concluded.

Question For patients undergoing ambulatory surgery, can follow-up care via a mobile app avert in-person visits compared with conventional, in-person follow-up care during the first 30 days after the operation? Findings In this randomized clinical trial of 65 patients, those who used the mobile app attended fewer in-person visits for follow-up care during the first 30 days after the operation than patients in the in-person follow-up care group.