title: Follow-up telephone calls to patients discharged after undergoing orthopaedic surgery: double-blind, randomised controlled trial of efficacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a follow-up telephone call to reduce the number of issues after hospital discharge.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The postdischarge period is often a time of uncertainty and risk. The decreasing length of hospital stays has increased the need for specific instructions about the postdischarge period. A telephone follow-up could be a valuable tool to fill this information gap.
  
  
  METHODS
  Double-blind, randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants included medium or low-intensity orthopaedic patients. We implemented a structured telephone follow-up call conducted by a senior orthopaedic nurse to provide educational support to the intervention group (n = 110), while the control group (n = 109) received routine care after being discharged. Data were collected between September 2011-January 2012. Statistical differences between the two groups were tested using chi-square test or Wilcoxon rank sum test, as appropriate. A linear regression model was performed to investigate factors involved into postdischarge outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention group had a statistically significant reduction in all postdischarge problems except for pain and mobilisation; the group also had a lower chance of experiencing frequent or severe problems. The educational intervention and prior poor health had a strong correlation with problems after discharge. Patients who received a telephone follow-up call believed the information provided was valuable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This nurse-led follow-up intervention significantly contributed to solving or reducing postdischarge health problems and contributed to reduce unnecessary burden on the community health system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nurse-led telephone follow-up is a simple, feasible and low-cost tool to improve patients' outcomes after discharge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clari
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frigerio
authors.affiliation: Unit of Cancer and Epidemiology, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.|Città della Salute e della Scienza Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ricceri
authors.affiliation: Città della Salute e della Scienza Hospital, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pici
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dimonte
mesh_terms: D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013689:Telephone; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: nurse-led intervention; nursing; orthopaedic patients; patient discharge; postdischarge problems; telephone follow-up