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. 2015 Sep;198(1):245-51.
doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2015.05.011. Epub 2015 May 14.

Conceptualizing smartphone use in outpatient wound assessment: patients' and caregivers' willingness to use technology

Jason T Wiseman  1 , Sara Fernandes-Taylor  1 , Maggie L Barnes  1 , Adela Tomsejova  1 , R Scott Saunders  1 , K Craig Kent  2
Affiliations

Conceptualizing smartphone use in outpatient wound assessment: patients' and caregivers' willingness to use technology

Jason T Wiseman et al. J Surg Res. 2015 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Information technology is transforming health care communication. Using smartphones to remotely monitor incisional wounds via digital photos as well as collect postoperative symptom information has the potential to improve patient outcomes and transitional care. We surveyed a vulnerable patient population to evaluate smartphone capability and willingness to adopt this technology.

Methods: We surveyed 53 patients over a 9-mo period on the vascular surgery service at a tertiary care institution. Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe survey item response.

Results: A total of 94% of recruited patients (50 of 53) participated. The cohort was 50% female, and the mean age was age 70 y (range: 41-87). The majority of patients owned cell phones (80%) and 23% of these cell phones were smartphones. Ninety percent of patients had a friend or family member that could help take and send photos with a smartphone. Ninety-two percent of patients reported they would be willing to take a digital photo of their wound via a smartphone (68% daily, 22% every other day, 2% less than every other day, and 8% not at all). All patients reported they would be willing to answer questions related to their health via a smartphone. Patients identified several potential difficulties with regard to adopting a smartphone wound-monitoring protocol including logistics related to taking photos, health-related questions, and coordination with caretakers.

Conclusions: Our survey demonstrates that an older patient cohort with significant comorbidity is able and willing to adopt a smartphone-based postoperative monitoring program. Patient training and caregiver participation will be essential to the success of this intervention.

Keywords: Remote technology; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Transitions in care; Wound care; mHealth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual model of mHealth smartphone-based intervention protocol for wound monitoring to promote early recognition of wound complications following discharge
Figure 2
Figure 2
Survey: Post-operative would surveillance
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient ownership and access to mobile technology
Figure 4
Figure 4
Prior experience with mobile technology
Figure 5
Figure 5
Patients’ willingness to take a digital photograph of his or her wound using a smartphone
Figure 6
Figure 6
Patients’ willingness to answer health-related questions using a smartphone
Figure 7
Figure 7
Categorization of patient identified potential difficulties with regard to a mHealth approach to post-operative wound management
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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