OBJECTIVES:
Sutures require follow-up visits for favorable evolution. To improve postemergency wound care, we decided to include a standardized advice sheet for patients based on current recommendations. The objective is to assess its effectiveness on outpatients' compliance after being discharged from the emergency department (ED).
METHODS:
We performed a prospective, pre–post design trial in an ED of a teaching hospital. We included for two consecutive months all patients aged ≥16 years old and consulting for wounds that needed suturing, and we excluded chronic wounds, burns, and hand wounds since they all need special care. During the 1
st
month, all patients received during ED visit usual verbal instructions concerning the postemergency care (Group A). During the 2
nd
month, all patients received usual verbal instructions and a standardized written advice sheet that detailed postemergency wound care (Group B). We organized telephone follow-up after the suture removal date and asked about dressing changes, appearance of infection signs, and respect of suture removal date. We compared patients;' characteristics in the two groups and performed a multivariable logistic regression using compliance to discharge instructions as our endpoint.
RESULTS:
For 2 months, 509 patients consulted for wounds. 119 (23.4%) patients were included in the study and followed. Baseline characteristics of patients did not differ between the two groups. Patients who received the advice sheet (Group B) had a better compliance in postemergency care (91.7% vs. 72.9%;
P
= 0.01). Moreover, there were significantly less dressing changes in Group B than in Group A (5.3 [2.2] vs. 12.9 [7.7];
P
< 0.01) and suture removal date was more in agreement with recommendations in Group B (83.9% vs. 66.7%;
P
= 0.03). Occurrence of infection was not significantly different between groups (9.7% vs. 13.7%;
P
= 0.37).
CONCLUSION:
For the management of wound care, discharge hospital process including a written advice sheet improves outpatients' compliance and postemergency care.