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Smartphone-Based Patient Education in Plastic Surgery.
Warren Noel1, Romain Bosc, Samer Jabbour
1From the *Attending at the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France; †Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Henri Mondor Hospital, Creteil, France; ‡ Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon; and §Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Hotel Dieu de France Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon.
A mobile medical application (MMA) improved postoperative plastic surgery care by answering patient questions and reducing unnecessary calls. Most patients found the MMA helpful and would recommend it.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Digital Health
- Patient Care Technology
Background:
- Increasing use of internet for health information.
- Mobile medical applications (MMAs) offer potential for enhanced postoperative patient education.
- Need to evaluate MMA impact in plastic surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a mobile medical application in improving postoperative patient care within plastic surgery.
- To evaluate patient satisfaction with the MMA's content, design, and overall efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Development of a specific MMA for postoperative plastic surgery patients.
- Inclusion of patients undergoing surgery between August and November 2014 who agreed to use the MMA.
- Postoperative assessment via questionnaire 2-4 weeks after surgery.
Main Results:
- Sixty patients participated in the study.
- Patients reported high satisfaction with the MMA's ability to address postoperative questions (mean score 4.1/5).
- The MMA successfully reduced patient-initiated calls to surgeons or emergency departments by 20%.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone applications can significantly optimize patient care in plastic surgery.
- MMAs empower patients by providing accessible information, fostering engagement in their own recovery.
- The study highlights the potential of digital tools to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency.
