Clinical Trial Details
— Status: Completed
Administrative data
| NCT number |
NCT02704897 |
| Other study ID # |
AC16032 |
| Secondary ID |
|
| Status |
Completed |
| Phase |
N/A
|
| First received |
|
| Last updated |
|
| Start date |
June 14, 2016 |
| Est. completion date |
November 20, 2020 |
Study information
| Verified date |
May 2024 |
| Source |
University of Edinburgh |
| Contact |
n/a |
| Is FDA regulated |
No |
| Health authority |
|
| Study type |
Interventional
|
Clinical Trial Summary
This study aims to evaluate if a smartphone-delivered tool can help assess for wound
infections, and if this improves access to care and results in earlier treatment.
Participants will be randomised to one of two groups. The intervention group will receive the
smartphone-delivered wound assessment tool (SWAT), to access if they have concerns about
their wound. The trial period is 30 days.
Description:
Surgical site infection (SSI) is defined by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) as an infection in the skin and soft tissues of a surgical wound, within 30 days of the
operation. It is a common problem, and complicates 2-10% of general surgery operations. The
majority of cases are diagnosed outside of hospital and can be treated with oral antibiotics.
Interest in the use of technology in medicine is increasing, with the potential that more
advanced technology will help facilitate communication between clinicians and patients, aid
in the assessment of patients, and improve clinical decision making. Over two-thirds of
people now own smartphones, and regularly use them to access the internet. The investigators
wish to use a smartphone delivered questionnaire to help assess SSI and see if this improves
access to care and time to treatment.
The investigators will be recruiting emergency surgery patients with smartphones at the Royal
Infirmary and Western General Hospitals in Edinburgh.
Participants will be divided into two groups. One group will receive the wound assessment
tool, if they are concerned about their wound, they can use the tool to answer a series of
questions. If their answers suggest SSI, a clinician will contact them to advise further
assessment and treatment. The participants will also be asked to respond to the tool three
times during the trial (to collect responses from those without symptoms), and upload photos
of their wounds to a secure database.
The second group of participants will receive normal post-operative care.
After 30 days, participants will have a follow-up consultation, to determine if they have had
a wound infection (this can be via telephone or face-to-face, according to participant
preference). They will also answer questions about their experience of the study, and use of
services.
