What Kind Of A Mobile Health App Do Patients Truly Want? A Pilot Study Among Ambulatory Surgery Patients

Figures & data

Table 1 Ambulatory Surgery Patients’ Preference Regarding M-Health Apps

Features And Functions	Mean Score±SD	Rank
“My ambulatory surgery”
Make surgery reservations^a	3.27±0.67	2
View surgical plan confirmations^a	3.21±0.71	5
Make surgical plan alterations^a	3.13±0.81	7
View surgery precautions^a	3.21±0.70	5
Access literature/pictures/videos explaining a surgery^a	3.07±0.73	9
View preoperative examination instructions^a	3.21±0.72	5
Review the results of tests/labs/x-ray/ct/mri^a	3.23±0.72	3
Reminders (unfinished examination/next appointment)^a	3.23±0.70	3
View admission process instructions^a	3.22±0.68	4
“Online consultation”
Consult with hcps preoperative^a	3.10±0.70	8
Consult with hcps postoperative^a	3.19±0.69	6
Consultation fee demonstration	2.95±0.73	15
“Postoperative Online Follow-up”
Postoperative follow-up through app	2.96±0.81	14
Implement app follow-up on 2th day after surgery	2.83±0.85	17
Implement app follow-up on 3th day after surgery	2.80±0.85	19
Implement app follow-up on 7th day after surgery	2.79±0.86	20
Implement app follow-up on 28th day after surgery	2.57±0.95	21
Contact hcps for help through the app when something wrong (wound disruption\bleed\infection)^a	3.36±0.75	1
“Health information”
View surgery complication information^a	3.03±0.76	10
View wound care information^a	3.10±0.75	8
View diet and nutrition information	2.99±0.77	13
View rehabilitation and exercise information	3.01±0.77	12
View medication information	3.01±0.76	12
View discharge process instructions	3.05±0.75	11
Information presented by literature and graphics	2.88±0.78	16
Information presented by videos	2.81±0.83	18

Note: ^aTop 10 necessary features and functions of m-health app.

Abbreviation: HCPs, health-care professions.

Figure 1 Patients willingness to engage with m-health apps.

Table 2 Chi-Squared Test Employed In The Univariate Analysis

Characteristic	Not Willing (N=57) n(%)	Willing (N=303) n(%)	χ^2	p-Value
Age group, years
<40	21(37)	179(59)
40~60	24(42)	91(30)
>60	12(21)	33(11)	10.42	<0.01
Gender
Male	29(51)	131(43)
Female	28(49)	172(57)	1.13	0.31
Occupational status
Employed	29(51)	211(70)
Unemployed	28(49)	92(30)	9.04	<0.01
Educational background
Bachelor and above	22(38)	196(65)
High school and below	35(62)	107(35)	13.67	<0.01
Phone type
Smartphone	6(11)	13(4)
Non-Smartphone	51(89)	290(96)	3.73	0.09
Transportation time from home to hospital
<1 hr	34(60)	146(48)
1~2 hr	13(23)	83(27)
>2 hr	10(17)	74(25)	2.61	0.27
Daily phones use
<1 hr	11(19)	19(6)
1~2 hrs	15(26)	70(23)
>2 hrs	31(55)	214(71)	11.84	<0.01
Usage frequency of m-health apps
Never use	32(56)	74(24)
Often use	25(44)	229(76)	23.23	<0.01
Ambulatory surgery type
LC	31(55)	94(31)
MMT biopsy	9(15)	109(36)
RIP	17(30)	100(33)	5.51	0.06

Abbreviations: LC, laparoscopic cholecystectomy; MMT biopsy, mammotome minimally invasive biopsy; RIP, resection of intestinal polyps.

Table 3 Binary Logistic Regression Employed In The Multivariate Analysis

Characteristic	Willingness To Engaging With m-health App
	Unadjusted OR	95% CI	p-Value
Age group, years
<40	Ref	-	-
40~60	0.57	(0.28, 1.15)	0.12
>60	0.98	(0.35, 2.78)	0.98
Occupational status
Unemployed	Ref	-	-
Employed	1.23	(0.56, 2.74)	0.59
Educational background
High school and below	Ref	-	-
Bachelor and above	1.65	(0.80, 3.43)	0.17
Daily phones use
<1 hr	Ref	-	-
1~2 hr	1.99	(0.72, 5.48)	0.18
>2 hr	2.23	(0.88, 5.68)	0.09
Usage frequency of m-health apps
Never use	Ref	-	-
Often use	2.97	(1.54, 5.71)	<0.01