Novel Text-Messaging Bot in Patients Undergoing Joint Arthroplasty

Rush

Status: Completed

Conditions: Osteoarthritis, Hip; Osteoarthritis, Knee

Treatments: Other: Routine perioperative education & teaching (control group); Other: Automated Text Messaging (SMS) Bot (intervention group)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03388502

16050101-IRB02

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the addition of an automated physician-specific text-messaging (SMS) bot in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Half of the patients received the traditional perioperative education and instructions (control group), while the other half were enrolled in their physician's SMS bot (intervention group).

Full description

In an era of value-based reimbursement and high-volume surgery, the patient experience is becoming increasingly important. Despite publicized efforts to place a greater emphasis on patient-centered care, patients often report poor access to their physician, lack of effective perioperative education, and frustration as their care is commoditized.

A text-messaging (SMS) bot has the potential to help fill some of these voids. Bots are computer programs that are inherently automated to simulate human-like tasks. While a physician may wish he or she could contact each of their patients daily, it would be an impossible undertaking for most. An SMS bot could make daily contact possible by automating it, potentially improving patient education and engagement before and after surgery. Standard SMS has been previously reported to be an effective means for delivering timely information, increasing patient compliance and outcomes (medication adherence, decrease surgical infections with antiseptic showers), and reaching a socioeconomically diverse patient population. Further benefits may be seen with an SMS bot due to its automated capabilities.

Enrollment: 159 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Inclusion criteria consisted of patients over 18 years of age, scheduled for primary total hip & knee arthroplasty, with smart phone capability, and proficiency in English.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients less than 18 years of age, no smart phone capability, poor English proficiency.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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159 participants in 2 patient groups

Text Messaging (SMS) Bot

Experimental group

Description:

Patients undergoing total joint (hip \& knee) arthroplasty will be enrolled in their physician's automated 'Text Messaging (SMS) Bot' in addition to receiving the routine perioperative education and instructions.

Treatment:

Other: Automated Text Messaging (SMS) Bot (intervention group)

Routine Perioperative Instructions

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients undergoing total joint (hip \& knee) arthroplasty will receive only their 'Routine Perioperative Instructions'.

Treatment:

Other: Routine perioperative education & teaching (control group)