Exploratory study of patients' and carers' preferences for postdischarge surgical wound monitoring using survey and interviews

Objectives: To explore patients' and carers' preferences for postdischarge surgical wound monitoring.

Design: Explanatory mixed methods study with an online survey followed by online interviews.

Setting: The online survey was distributed via the Cardiothoracic Interdisciplinary Research Network and cardiac surgery patient and public involvement groups in London and Leicester, UK. Participants were invited to share the survey link with other patients and carers. Interviewees were recruited through the survey.

Participants: Seventy participants completed the survey: 74% patients and 26% carers. A range of ages, sex, ethnicities and geographical locations were represented. Six survey patient participants volunteered to be interviewed.

Findings: Themes identified were the impact on patients of having a surgical site infection, patients' preferences for postdischarge surgical wound follow-up, access to specialist support, wound monitoring using digital technology and receiving information from the hospital about wounds and wound care. Interviewees described feeling isolated after discharge from hospital and 10% of survey patient respondents, including four of the six interviewees, reported hospital readmissions. Survey respondents' preferred routes for providing hospitals with wound information were over the telephone (30%), emails (24%), text messages (16%) and photos sent securely (14%). All six interviewees' preference was for digital approaches using images. Survey respondents were least likely (50%) to reply to questionnaires that required software to be downloaded and installed. Interviewees considered digital wound monitoring to be convenient and the best use of patient and staff resources. A new theme was identified where patients wanted to become more involved in treating their surgical wounds at home.

Conclusion: Experiences described by participants suggests there is a need to improve post-discharge wound monitoring. A new approach should be proactive, ongoing and provide easy access to healthcare services. Digital surgical wound monitoring offers these benefits and is acceptable to patients.

Trial registration number: ISRCTN13950775; Post-results.