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There's an App for That; Improving Communication during Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
Ashley B Hodge1, Brian F Joy2, Virginia K Cox1
1The Heart Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.
Pediatric Quality & Safety
|October 4, 2018
Summary
The Electronic Access for Surgical Events (EASE) app significantly improved surgical update compliance and family satisfaction. This mobile technology enhances patient family communication during stressful surgical procedures.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Surgical Communication
- Patient Family Engagement
Background:
- Patient families experience significant stress during loved ones' surgeries.
- Current surgical update processes are inconsistent across institutions.
- Timely updates are crucial but can strain surgical teams.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of the Electronic Access for Surgical Events (EASE) application on communication with patient families.
- To assess improvements in the frequency and compliance of surgical updates.
Main Methods:
- A comparative analysis of compliance data was conducted pre- and post-EASE implementation.
- Data collection spanned from December 2013 to December 2015.
- Statistical tests were used to confirm significant improvements.
Main Results:
- Surgical update compliance increased from 46% to 97% post-EASE implementation (P < 0.001).
- Family satisfaction scores improved from 80% to 97% for "Very Good" experiences.
- Sustained improvement in satisfaction was observed for one year.
Conclusions:
- The EASE mobile application significantly enhances the frequency and compliance of surgical updates to families.
- Implementation of EASE technology leads to a statistically significant increase in family satisfaction.
- EASE improves patient family communication and experience during surgical events.