Multimedia Message Service (MMS) Improves Comprehension of Discharge Instruction in the Patients with Lacerations

Yeon,  Jae Hyun; Park,  Jung Geun; Jo,  Min Woo

J Korean Soc Emerg Med > Volume 20(4); 2009 > Article

Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2009;20(4): 445-452.

Multimedia Message Service (MMS) Improves Comprehension of Discharge Instruction in the Patients with Lacerations

Jae Hyun Yeon, Jung Geun Park, Min Woo Jo

¹Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea, yohimbine@hanmail.net
²Department of Preventive Medicine, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE:
This study was carried out to determine whether the use of multimedia message service (MMS) as discharge instructions about post-suture care improves patient's comprehension for those information.
METHODS:
One hundred nineteen (119) patients with lacerations and their caregivers who visited the Emergency Room at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital were included in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to receive MMS (n=66) or paper (n=53) discharge instructions after providing informed consent to engage in this study. Within 48 hours of discharge, an investigator called each participant by phone and asked a series of questions designed to test the participant's comprehension of their discharge instructions. In addition, participants were asked to complete questionnaires about confidence, accessibility, compliance, and the usefulness of discharge instructions.
RESULTS:
There were no differences in age, sex, educational background and subject (patient or caregiver) between the MMS and the paper group. In both groups, the mean and standard deviation in comprehension score was 8.1+/-1.3 and 6.6 +/-1.8, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). 'Yes' group of MMS and paper was 40(60.6%) and 16(30.2%) in accessibility, 39(59.1%) and 19(35.8%) in compliance, 26(39.3%) and 20(37.7%) in usefulness, respectively.
CONCLUSION:
The use of MMS as discharge instructions for patients with laceration improves patient comprehension.

Key words: Telecommunications, Cellular phone, Lacerations, Patient discharge, Instruction