Researchers randomly assigned 65 patients who underwent breast reconstruction surgery at an academic ambulatory care hospital to either receive follow-up care via a mobile app or an in-person visit in the first 30 days post-surgery. Thirty-two women used the mobile app — which allows patients to submit pictures, answer a quality of recovery questionnaire and a pain scale — and 33 used in-person follow-up care.
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Researchers found the following:
- Mobile app users attended 0.4 times fewer in-person visits than the other group
- Mobile app users sent more emails to physicians than the in-person group
- Mobile app users were more likely to agree their type of follow-up care was convenient
- Patient satisfaction and complication rates did not differ between the two groups
“These are important findings given the current demands in the healthcare system and the push toward patient-centric care,” the study’s authors wrote.
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