Feasibility of App-Based Postsurgical Assessment of Pain, Pain Impact, and Regional Anesthesia Effects: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective. Postsurgical follow-up calls enable nurses to assess a patient's condition, provide tailored education, and improve the patient's experience. Despite the benefits, barriers to phone-based assessments may include patient nonresponse and lack of time due to demanding clinical schedules. The purpose of this trial was to examine the feasibility and utility of a smartphone app, mCare, for assessing pain, pain impact, and peripheral nerve block effects in patients. Design. Pilot randomized control trial. Setting and Patients. Eligible patients at a military treatment facility undergoing same-day surgery were randomized to the mCare group (N = 24) or the standard-of-care telephone (N = 26) group. Results. Outcomes included initial response (assessment completion) rates and participant and nurse satisfaction. There were no differences in the response rates upon initial contact attempt, and patients in both groups reported similar levels of satisfaction and convenience. Nurses reported greater satisfaction with the app compared with standard-of-care telephone calls. Conclusions. Before wider implementation, further considerations of app-based assessment need to be fully explored.