Using Digital Health in a Postoperative Setting After Major Surgery: Semi-structured Interview Study

Using Digital Health in a Postoperative Setting After Major Surgery: a Prospective Single-center Qualitative Semi-structured Interview Study

This study aims to evaluate whether patients recognize a need for a remote monitoring care pathway during the post-operative period following major surgery at Jessa Hospital by means of a semi- structured interview. Besides this, the study explores patient perceptions and willingness to participate in digital monitoring care pathways, identifies potential barriers to adoption, and addressing concerns related to safety, data security, and privacy. Additionally, the study aims to assess patient needs regarding parameter collection, technology usage, and the overall functionality of digital monitoring systems, while evaluating the perceived usefulness of such a pathway in post-operative care.

Digital health technologies are transforming healthcare, offering new ways to improve patient outcomes and enhance efficiency. Remote clinical monitoring (RCM), which uses digital technologies such as wearable devices and mobile apps to monitor patients outside of the traditional healthcare settings such as a hospital, holds significant potential for supporting post-operative care, especially in the context of faster hospital discharge after major surgery. Major surgery involves procedures on organ systems, such as cancer resections, organ transplants, and lung or abdominal surgeries. However, despite their promise, the successful implementation of these technologies into clinical practice requires a thorough understanding of the perspectives of the end user, being the patient. Patients' comfort, engagement, and perceptions about digital health solutions, such as self-management tools and remote monitoring pathways, are essential to ensuring these technologies are both effective and widely accepted.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Surgical patients

  • >18 years old, Undergone major surgery at Jessa Hospital Hasselt

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to provide informed consent or request to not participate in the study
• Cognitively incapable of understanding the study
• No understanding of the Dutch language