The investigators developed a smartphone app that guides pediatric patients and their families through colonoscopy prep in an attempt to see if an app could improve the colonoscopy process.
The investigators created a smartphone app designed for pediatric patients and their families that informs patients about their colonoscopy procedure, alerts them when to take their medications throughout the hours-long colonoscopy prep process and tells them when to arrive to the endoscopy suite. The investigators designed a study to determine if this app will yield improved colonoscopy cleanouts, better patient understanding of the procedure, fewer calls to the GI service and more punctual arrival times to the endoscopy suite compared to patients who receive written instructions that do not actively interact with the patient before, during or after their colonoscopy prep.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
42
We created a smartphone app that informs patients about their colonoscopy procedure, alerts them when to take their medications throughout the hours-long colonoscopy prep process and tells them when to arrive to the endoscopy suite.
Written Instruction
Smartphone application use was associated with increased number of "excellent" colonoscopy preps.
Prep quality was measured with the validated Boston Scoring Scale. A score of 0, 1, 2 or 3 is given to the right, transverse and left colon based on the amount and consistency of stool visualized as well as the ease or difficulty of guiding endoscopic instrumentation during a colonoscopy. Higher scores indicate a cleaner colon and as per Lai, a Boston Score of 7 or above indicates an "excellent" prep. To eliminate bias, the four grading gastroenterologists did not know whether subjects had used written or app instructions.
Time frame: Each subject was assessed from the time they were scheduled for their colonoscopy to the day of their procedure, up to three months for subjects. Subjects were scored on their colonoscopies immediately following the procedure once the patient was stable
The difference in the number of calls to the gastroenterology service between app users and controls.
Calls to the GI service were recorded by the GI staff.
Time frame: Each subject was assessed from the time they were scheduled for their colonoscopy to the day of their procedure, up to three months for subjects
The difference between app users and controls regarding patient arrival time.
Patient arrival time was taken from the patients arrival time in the endoscopy suite.
Time frame: Each subject was assessed from the time they were scheduled for their colonoscopy to the day of their procedure, up to three months for subjects
The significant difference between app users and controls regarding patient knowledge about the procedure.
A questionnaire with validated questions determined whether subjects improvement their knowledge before and after receiving colonoscopy information.
Time frame: Each subject was assessed from the time they were scheduled for their colonoscopy to the day of their procedure, up to three months for subjects
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