Development and Evaluation of a Smartphone Application for Patients After Vascular Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Unplanned hospital readmission following vascular surgery remains common and is often related to wound complications, poor communication, and inadequate post-discharge support. We developed a patient-centered smartphone application, the Vascular Surgery Discharge Application (VASDA), and conducted a qualitative and quantitative feasibility study to evaluate patient experiences and perceptions after a variety open lower extremity bypass procedures (LEB). METHODS: A single-center, mixed-methods feasibility study enrolled patients undergoing LEB at discharge and patients were instructed to use VASDA during the 30-day post-discharge period. The application incorporated validated surveys assessing mobility (AM-PAC), pain (PEG scale), and mood (PHQ-2), as well as a wound assessment tool, a real-time messaging platform, and wound photography. Usability was quantified using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to assess patient experience. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic content. RESULTS: Forty-five patients were enrolled following the study protocol. 82.2% of participants used the application daily for at least 25 of 30 days. Via the smartphone application, patients submitted surveys, wound photographs, and alerts prompted earlier clinical evaluation in 22.7% of participants. The 30-day unplanned readmission rate was 11.1% for the study cohort. AM-PAC returned to baseline by postoperative day 30, while PEG and PHQ-2 improved beyond preoperative baseline. Usability was high (SUS >80; MARS domains ≥4.0). Qualitative analysis identified themes of increased confidence, enhanced communication, early problem identification, increased emotional support, and created a perceived safety net for patients. CONCLUSIONS: The VASDA smartphone application demonstrated high feasibility, acceptability, and adherence rates among patients recovering from open vascular surgery. The application was demonstrated to be effective in identification of post-discharge complications, may assist to lower readmission rates, and aided in early identification of postoperative complications. The VASDA smartphone application demonstrated improved patient communication, confidence, and perceived recovery after discharge.