Institution-initiated text messaging can reduce unplanned emergency department visits after appendectomy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to reduce unplanned Emergency Department (ED) visits for minor complaints in children after appendectomy through proactive institution-driven communication and utilization of telehealth resources. METHODS: We developed a text messaging system to initiate communication with parents of postappendectomy patients and connect them with a telehealth visit or a phone call with a surgical provider as needed. Using descriptive statistics, chi square, and statistical process control analytics, we compared rates of postoperative ED visits for the 8 months pre- and post-implementation of the messaging system and summarized the feedback we received from patients. RESULTS: A total of 791 laparoscopic appendectomies were performed in two institutions (preintervention = 382, post-intervention = 409). The postoperative ED visit rate decreased from 5.8% preimplementation to 2.4% post-implementation (p = 0.02). Over one-fifth of families messaged (21.6%) had questions in the postoperative period. The majority expressed interest in a video visit (52.5%), while some preferred to speak with the surgeon's office (25%). Over 90% of respondents found the system helpful, and 4.9% opted out. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a hospital-initiated text messaging system has the potential to reduce ED visits in the immediate postoperative period after appendectomy. This system can be scaled to include different surgeries across multiple disciplines. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III. TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical Retrospective Pre/Post Intervention Study.

Electronically Verified Use of Internet-Based, Multimedia Decision Aids by Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Their Caregivers.

Decision aids (DAs) are central to shared decision making (SDM) interventions, yet little is known about patients' actual DA use. Adequate utilization of DAs could optimize SDM effectiveness. Electronic DAs enable more objective tracking and analysis of actual DA utilization than do paper DAs. This report is part of an ongoing randomized controlled SDM trial enrolling adolescents with type 1 diabetes and their caregivers (n = 153) who were considering use of an insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor. Extensive stakeholder engagement guided creation of two online DAs. After completing baseline measures, 133 dyads were randomized to SDM (access to the pertinent DA) or Usual Care (clinic routines for preparing candidates for adopting these devices). Utilization data showed that 80% of caregivers and 66% of youths logged into a DA at least once; youths and caregivers, respectively, dedicated a mean of 44.7 and 55.0 minutes to website use and viewed 72.2% and 77.4% of the DA content. Median total duration from enrollment to last DA logout was 48.2 days for adolescents and 45.6 days for caregivers. Bivariate comparisons showed that non-Hispanic, Caucasian females from households with higher socioeconomic status were significantly more likely to login to the assigned DA at least once. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that adolescent males with lower levels of health literacy demonstrated fewer DA logins (F = 2.59; P < 0.009), but identified no significant predictors of adolescents' or caregiver' duration of DA use or proportion of DA content viewed. Future SDM trials should seek to promote DA use, especially by non-White adolescents, perhaps with direct assistance with the initial DA login. Trials employing electronic DAs should routinely report and analyze utilization data.

Consideration of Insulin Pumps or Continuous Glucose Monitors by Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Their Parents: Stakeholder Engagement in the Design of Web-Based Decision Aids.

PURPOSE: This article describes the stakeholder-driven design, development, and testing of web-based, multimedia decision aids for youth with type 1 diabetes who are considering the insulin pump or continuous glucose monitoring and their parents. This is the initial phase of work designed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of these decision aids in promoting improved decision-making engagement with use of a selected device. METHODS: Qualitative interviews of 36 parents and adolescents who had previously faced these decisions and 12 health care providers defined the content, format and structure of the decision aids. Experts in children's health media helped the research team to plan, create, and refine multimedia content and its presentation. A web development firm helped organize the content into a user-friendly interface and enabled tracking of decision aid utilization. Throughout, members of the research team, adolescents, parents, and 3 expert consultants offered perspectives about the website content, structure, and function until the design was complete. RESULTS: With the decision aid websites completed, the next phase of the project is a randomized controlled trial of usual clinical practice alone or augmented by use of the decision aid websites. CONCLUSIONS: Stakeholder-driven development of multimedia, web-based decision aids requires meticulous attention to detail but can yield exceptional resources for adolescents and parents contemplating major changes to their diabetes regimens.