Nurse-Led Telehealth vs In-Person Follow-Up After Total Knee Replacement
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorHospital Authority, Hong Kong
About this trial
Brief Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if nurse-led telehealth consultations can help detect complications and support recovery after total knee replacement surgery. The study will compare telehealth nursing consultations to traditional in-person nursing visits.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Can nurse-led telehealth detect post-surgery complications as well as or better than in-person consultations? * Does telehealth nursing support better or equivalent recovery outcomes and patient satisfaction compared to in-person care?
Participants will:
* Be adults who had their first total knee replacement surgery. * Receive follow-up care either through telehealth consultations using the HA Go mobile app or through traditional face-to-face nurse visits in the outpatient clinic. * Attend scheduled consultations and provide information about their recovery and any complications they experience. * Complete surveys about their satisfaction with the care they receive.
This study will help determine if telehealth nursing consultations can provide safe, effective, and convenient follow-up care for patients after knee replacement surgery, potentially improving access and reducing travel burdens.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Adults aged 18 years or older
Undergoing their first total knee replacement surgery
Within 4 weeks after surgery
Medically stable for discharge and suitable for home-based follow-up care
Disqualifiers
Undergoing bilateral or revision total knee replacement surgery
Require immediate or intensive medical attention post-surgery (e.g., severe infection, hospitalization over 7 days)
Have severe systemic disease (ASA physical status classification III or higher)
Lack the technical ability or resources to participate in telehealth consultations
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
Nurse-Led Telehealth Consultation
Procedure/SurgeryParticipants receive scheduled postoperative nursing consultations delivered remotely via the HA Go mobile application, a secure, hospital-approved telehealth platform. Consultations occur approximately two weeks after total knee replacement surgery, with additional sessions arranged as clinically needed within the first month post-surgery. Each telehealth session lasts about 20 to 30 minutes and includes assessment of recovery progress, monitoring for complications, patient education, and guidance on rehabilitation exercises. Patients receive technical support to facilitate effective use of the telehealth platform. This intervention leverages virtual care technology to provide convenient, accessible nursing follow-up without requiring in-person clinic visits.
Traditional In-Person Nursing Consultation
Procedure/SurgeryParticipants receive scheduled postoperative nursing consultations in person at the Specialist Outpatient Department. Each consultation lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes and includes physical assessment, monitoring for complications, patient education, and rehabilitation guidance. Follow-up visits are typically scheduled two weeks after total knee replacement surgery, with additional visits as clinically indicated. This intervention represents standard postoperative nursing care delivered face-to-face.
Treatment groups
98 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: Nurse-Led Telehealth ConsultationExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Traditional In-Person Nursing ConsultationActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Number of Participants with Postoperative Complications Detected Within Four Weeks Following Total Knee Replacement
This outcome measures the total number of participants in whom any postoperative complications are identified and managed during the follow-up period. Complications include both major events (e.g., deep vein thrombosis, surgical site infections) and minor issues (e.g., swelling, delayed wound healing, pain requiring intervention). The detection is based on clinical assessment during nurse-led telehealth or traditional in-person consultations.
Time frame
Within 4 weeks (28 days) post-surgerySecondary outcomes
1
Change in Functional Recovery as Measured by the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
This outcome measures participants' functional recovery and pain levels using the KOOS questionnaire, which ranges from 0 (extreme symptoms) to 100 (no symptoms). Higher scores indicate better recovery and function.
Time frame
Baseline (pre-surgery) and 3 months post-surgery2
The Chinese version of the Mobile Health App Usability Questionnaire (I-C-MAUQ) (Telehealth group)
Patient-reported usability of the mobile-health platform will be assessed in participants randomised to the telehealth arm using the Chinese version of the Mobile Health App Usability Questionnaire (I-C-MAUQ). The 18 items are summed and rescaled to 0-100; higher scores denote better perceived usability and satisfaction with the nursing consultation.
Time frame
Within 4 weeks after surgery - immediately after the first telehealth follow-up consultation3
Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Consultation
A standardized Hospital Authority patient satisfaction survey for both groups. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the nursing consultation.
Time frame
Within 4 weeks post-surgery, following the first consultation4
Unplanned Hospital Readmissions within 28 Days Post-Surgery
This outcome records the number of participants who have unplanned hospital readmissions within 28 days after total knee replacement surgery.
Time frame
28 days post-surgerySponsors and contacts
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
Source ClinicalTrials.gov