10 Introduction OUTLINE OF THIS THESIS Chapter 1 provides an overview of current regulations relevant to mobile applications used in healthcare and medical research, discusses the responsibilities and liability of medical professionals, and discusses the most practical considerations they should know when using or building a mobile application. In Chapter 2, a systematic review identifies mobile applications that have been described in literature for use in gastrointestinal surgical care. The identified apps are evaluated based on their prospects for providing surgical care. Chapter 3 investigates patients’ satisfaction with stoma care, identifies potential shortcomings, and assesses their attitudes towards a supporting app. This chapter also evaluates the association between patient characteristics, satisfaction concerning received stoma care, and willingness to use an app. Chapter 4 provides a deeper understanding of the problems that patients face in stoma care and discusses how an app can improve these problems. In Chapter 5, the protocol of the Stoma APPtimize trial is described, which investigated whether the self-reported quality of life of patients with a stoma can be enhanced by offering personalized and timed guidance, as well as peer contact, in the Stoma App. Chapter 6 describes the results of the Stoma APPtimize trial. Chapter 7 describes the ERAS APPtimize trial which investigates whether patient compliance with the ERAS protocol could be improved by the ERAS App. The mobile application is designed to enhance patient education, participation, and activation within the ERAS colorectal pathway.
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