This study is investigating a new way to monitor patients who are recovering at home after surgery. This study uses text messages to ask patients to review their own symptoms and then reply with the level of severity of specific symptoms. Based on each patient's specific response to the text message survey, a pre-programmed, automated response will be sent from the study prompting the patient to take specific actions (or no action if no symptoms). Investigators will assess whether this method improves patients' well-being as compared to the current standard of care for patients. Currently, after surgery, patients are provided counseling and written instructions when they leave the hospital on how to care for themselves at home. If the patient has questions or concerns, they contact their care team. The optimal way to help patients assess their own symptoms at home remains unknown. Investigators are also assessing if using the symptom survey reduces readmissions to the hospital.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
102
Counseling at discharge + FACT-G at enrollment, at 15-18 and at 30-32 days post-operative.
A 12-item symptom tracker adopted from the Patient Reported Outcomes Version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-PRO-CTCAE), delivered via text, on days 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, and 30 post surgery.
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Mean total score on FACT-G
The mean total score on the FACT-G will be compared between the two arms. The FACT-G is a 27-item questionnaire that covers four HR-QOL sub-domains: physical, social, emotional, and functional well-being. Each of the questions will be scored on a scale from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Very much) using a manual scoring template in which some items are reverse scored. The minimally important difference (MID) is 5 points for the FACT-G questionnaire. In other words, five points is the most minimal difference between the control group and treatment group scores that would indicate a clinically meaningful change. A positive change in points indicates better QOL.
Time frame: 30-32 days post-operative
Proportion of patients who had non-standard clinic visits
The proportion of patients who are seen in the clinic for visits other than a scheduled post-operative visit. Data collected by chart review.
Time frame: 30 days post-operative
Proportion of patients who called the care team
Data collected by chart review.
Time frame: 30 days post-operative
Proportion of patients seen in urgent care clinics
Data collected by chart review.
Time frame: 30 days post-operative
Proportion of patients seen in emergency room
Data collected by chart review.
Time frame: 30 days post-operative
Proportion of patients readmitted to hospital
Data collected by chart review.
Time frame: 30 days post-operative
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