RAPP, a systematic e-assessment of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing day surgery: study protocol for a mixed-methods study design including a multicentre, two-group, parallel, single-blind randomised controlled trial and qualitative interview studies

• Published in: BMJ open Vol. 6; no. 1; p. e009901
• Main Authors: Nilsson, U, Jaensson, M, Dahlberg, K, Odencrants, S, Grönlund, Å, Hagberg, L, Eriksson, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.01.2016; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; Attitude of Health Personnel; Blindness; Caring Sciences w. Medical Focus; Clinical trials; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Emergency medical care; Feedback; Health education; Health Informatics; Health Literacy; Health Status; Hospitals; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Mobile Applications; Mortality; Omvårdnadsforskning med medicinsk inriktning; Patients; Postoperative Care - economics; Postoperative Care - methods; Primary care; Qualitative Research; Quality of Life; Single-Blind Method; Smartphone; Smartphones; Surgery; Sweden; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• ISSN: 2044-6055; 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009901

IntroductionDay surgery is a well-established practice in many European countries, but only limited information is available regarding postoperative recovery at home though there is a current lack of a standard procedure regarding postoperative follow-up. Furthermore, there is also a need for improvement of modern technology in assessing patient-related outcomes such as mobile applications. This article describes the Recovery Assessment by Phone Points (RAPP) study protocol, a mixed-methods study to evaluate if a systematic e-assessment follow-up in patients undergoing day surgery is cost-effective and improves postoperative recovery, health and quality of life.Methods and analysisThis study has a mixed-methods study design that includes a multicentre, two-group, parallel, single-blind randomised controlled trial and qualitative interview studies. 1000 patients >17 years of age who are undergoing day surgery will be randomly assigned to either e-assessed postoperative recovery follow-up daily in 14 days measured via smartphone app including the Swedish web-version of Quality of Recovery (SwQoR) or to standard care (ie, no follow-up). The primary aim is cost-effectiveness. Secondary aims are (A) to explore whether a systematic e-assessment follow-up after day surgery has a positive effect on postoperative recovery, health-related quality of life (QoL) and overall health; (B) to determine whether differences in postoperative recovery have an association with patient characteristic, type of surgery and anaesthesia; (C) to determine whether differences in health literacy have a substantial and distinct effect on postoperative recovery, health and QoL; and (D) to describe day surgery patient and staff experiences with a systematic e-assessment follow-up after day surgery.The primary aim will be measured at 2 weeks postoperatively and secondary outcomes (A–C) at 1 and 2 weeks and (D) at 1 and 4 months.Trial registration numberNCT02492191; Pre-results.