A pilot project to test the feasibility of automated text messaging to collect multi-day patient-reported outcomes related to pain interference after total joint arthroplasty in Veterans

Abstract: Acute postoperative pain trajectories may differ between surgical procedures and individuals who undergo the same procedure. To date, clinical measurement of acute pain has been generally limited to pain intensity, which provides an inadequate assessment of recovery. Despite recommendations to incorporate patient-reported outcomes into peri-operative pain assessment and management, technological and other barriers have prevented incorporation into routine clinical care. Using an automated short message service text messaging system described previously for peripheral nerve block follow-up, we attempted implementation of patient-reported pain intensity and interference measurement for one week following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) as a clinical care improvement project and tested the feasibility of this as a data collection tool.

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