Ouellet 2003.

Methods	DETAILS OF STUDY AIM OF INTERVENTION: to help ease surgical orthopaedic patients' transition from hospital to home and to identify problems associated with this transition. AIM OF STUDY: this was a pilot study designed to explore the effectiveness of a post‐discharge telephone call for surgical orthopaedic patients; the focus of the study was to identify and resolve problems associated with the study protocol and the data collection tools. STUDY DESIGN: CCT. METHODS OF RECRUITMENT OF PARTICIPANTS: the sample was drawn from a pool of adult patients admitted to the orthopaedic unit for either elective or emergency orthopaedic surgery during a 3 month period. Prospective participants were identified through the use of posters placed in patients' rooms. Patients who expressed an interest in the study were approached prior to their discharge by a research assistant who explained the purpose of the study. INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION IN STUDY: English speaking/ 17 years and older/ discharged to a private residence with phone. EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION IN STUDY: not specified. INFORMED CONSENT OBTAINED? yes. ETHICAL APPROVAL? unclear. FUNDING: unclear. ASSESSMENT OF STUDY QUALITY ALLOCATION CONCEALMENT: unclear. EPOC‐ QUALITY CRITERIA 2002: C. high risk of bias. METHOD OF GENERATING RANDOMISATION SCHEDULE: unclear. METHOD OF CONCEALMENT OF ALLOCATION: not specified. BLINDING: ·PARTICIPANTS: no. ·PROVIDER/S: no. ·OUTCOME ASSESSOR/S: yes. INTENTION TO TREAT ANALYSIS: not stated. BASELINE COMPARABILITY OF INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS: yes. STATISTICAL METHODS AND THEIR APPROPRIATENESS: not stated. CONSUMER INVOLVEMENT: not stated.
Participants	DESCRIPTION: surgery patients. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Canada. SETTING: discharged home from an acute care setting. NUMBER OF PARTTICIPANTS: ELIGIBLE: 60. RANDOMISED TO INTERVENTION: 27. RANDOMISED TO CONTROL: 26. INCLUDED IN ANALYSIS INTERVENTION GROUP: 27. INCLUDED IN ANALYSIS CONTROL GROUP: 26. AGE: RANGE OR MEAN (SD): 56.8 (17.6). GENDER (% MALE): 55. ETHNICITY: not stated. PRINCIPAL HEALTH PROBLEM OR DIAGNOSIS: orthopedic problem. OTHER HEALTH PROBLEM/S: unclear. TREATMENT RECEIVED/RECEIVING: orthopedic surgery (68% elective, 32% emergency). OTHER SOCIAL/DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS: 69% high school or more.
Interventions	DETAILS OF INTERVENTION: The intervention consisted of a follow‐up call made by the unit manager (=nurse), or her designate, 24 to 72 hours post discharge. Information obtained was recorded on a form which consisted of a checklist of specific concerns/problems often encountered by post‐op patients and a list of relevant nursing interventions in addition to information about the call. DETAILS OF CONTROL: usual care. CO‐INTERVENTION? no. DETAILS OF CO‐INTERVENTIONS: DELIVERY OF INTERVENTION: Frequency: 1. First time at day 1‐3 after discharge. Period: PROVIDERS: nurse. INTERVENTION QUALITY: length of intervention between 1‐25 minutes. FIDELITY/INTEGRITY: unclear.
Outcomes	NUMBER OF OUTCOMES: 3 OUTCOME / TOOL / TOOL VALIDATED / METHOD OF ASSESSMENT / TIME OF ASSESSMENT A.Psycho‐social health of patients (uncertainty, anxiety, informational needs, mood, coping, quality of life, social activity, ..): B.Physical health of patients (eg. functional status, self‐care, self‐efficacy, independence, ..):Symptoms / self‐developed / yes / telephone interview / 4 weeks after discharge. Recovery / self‐developed / yes / telephone interview / 4 weeks after discharge. C.Other consumer oriented outcomes (eg. treatment adherence, knowledge, adverse events, ..): D. Health service delivery oriented outcomes (eg. hospital readmission, health services utilization, ..): Readmission / self‐developed / yes / telephone interview / 4 weeks after discharge. ED‐visits.
Notes	·CHANGES IN TRIAL PROTOCOL: no comparison results given. ·CONTACT WITH AUTHOR: yes. ·POWER CALCULATION? ·RECORD IF THE STUDY WAS TRANSLATED FROM A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH. ·RECORD IF THE STUDY WAS A DUPLICATE PUBLICATION.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear