Development of a Self-Care Support System Using Communication Technology for Mild Head Injury Patients After Emergency Department Discharge at Akat Amnuai Hospital.

Abstract

      This study aimed to: 1) develop a self-care support system using communication technology for patients with mild head injury after discharge from the emergency department, 2) examine the effects of the developed system on self-care ability, and 3) assess user satisfaction with the system. A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed. The sample consisted of 30 patients with mild head injury who received treatment at the emergency department and were discharged home from Agatamanuay Hospital between May and June 2025, selected through purposive sampling based on inclusion criteria. The system was developed through LINE Official Account and comprised four main components: an automated symptom assessment and monitoring system at 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours; an educational system providing knowledge and guidance through multimedia; a real-time communication system with nurses available 24 hours; and a data management system. Research instruments included a general information questionnaire, a self-care ability assessment form, a satisfaction questionnaire, and a system effectiveness recording form. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test with a significance level of .05.

      The results revealed that self-care ability after using the system was significantly higher than before (p < .001), with total scores increasing from 80.4 (S.D. = 12.3) to 124.7 (S.D. = 9.6) points. System effectiveness achieved all target indicators: assessment response rate of 86.7%, appropriate return visit rate of 93.3%, no severe complications occurred, and average response time of 8.5 minutes. User satisfaction with the system was at a high level (Mean = 4.49, S.D. = 0.42), with the benefits received dimension having the highest mean score.