The use of text message reminders and having patients log post-operative progress considerably reduces the risk of cancellations for procedures and decreases post-operative ER visits, according to research that will be presented at CHEST 2015. Researchers from the Toronto East General Hospital and SeamlessMD helped to create electronic reminders and web-based modules to improve patient compliance to pre-operative instructions.

An American College of Chest Physicians news release notes that prior studies have shown that less than 40% of patients read the instructions doctors give them before surgery and less than 20% can articulate important information contained within the instructions.

Up to the present time, 167 patients participated and 98% of them said they were satisfied with the tools the mobile product provided. Patients reported their positive responses noting the ways in which the mobile application empowered them, helping them keep track of their progress, and offered more accessibility to their surgeon, as indicated on the American College of Chest Physicians news release.

Carmine Simone, MD, lead researcher of the study, says, “We believe this tool has great potential to improve communication with patients, increase patient satisfaction, decrease ER visits, and improve patient outcomes following thoracic surgery.”

Source: American College of Chest Physicians