Development and Evaluation of Standardized Telephone Counseling Guidelines on Symptom Management for Patients Discharged after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to develop standardized telephone counseling guidelines regarding symptom management for patients discharged after colorectal cancer surgery, and to apply and assess it in practice in order to increase patient satisfaction and compliance level. METHODS: Five frequent symptoms; pain, diarrhea, constipation, bowel obstruction and wounds were extracted by a preliminary survey. RESULTS: For wound and bowel obstruction, the most frequent applied guideline was ER recommendation, and it was statistically significant (p<.002). The assessment result of guideline application (satisfaction rate, compliance rate and symptom resolution) shows an average satisfaction rate of 3.80 on a 4 point scale and all 6 cases which recommended immediate ER visits followed the guidelines. CONCLUSION: According to the result of this study, the developed guidelines are worth while to increase patient satisfaction as well as to resolve symptoms.