Breast Implant Registry trials SMS for patient reported outcomes

Why some patients in the registry received a text asking about their implants.

The Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR) recently began piloting SMS (Short Message Service) technology to collect patient feedback on the look and feel of their breast implants 12-15 months after surgery. As far as we are aware, this is the first time a device registry has used SMS technology for patient feedback. If successful, the SMS system will be rolled out for all eligible registry participants in the future.

Update: the questionnaire is being rolled out to all eligible patients in the ABDR. Click here to find to find out more.  

The SMS text, which included a link to a short questionnaire, was sent to 200 patients, aged 20 – 70 years. The short questionnaire, called the BREAST-Q Implant Surveillance (IS) tool, consists of five questions to help determine if the look and/or feel of the implants can help to predict trends or complications associated with the medical device (implant) or the surgery.

The ABDR aims to identify and report on possible trends and complications associated with breast device surgery; track the long-term safety and performance of implantable breast devices; and to identify best surgical practice and the best patient health outcomes possible. Patient input to the registry is very valuable because it provides insight into patient well-being.

Did you receive an SMS from us? 

How does it work?
Simply click on the link sent in the SMS and five short questions will appear on the phone screen. Then select the answer in the drop down box that most accurately reflects your experience. At the end of the questions, click ‘Finish and Submit’ and that’s it.
Each SMS contains an unique link to the Breast-Q I.S. questionnaire. This guarantees that your answers and comments cannot be seen by other participants.

Can I answer the questions some other way?
If you have trouble answering the questions on your phone, please call Nicole Ng on 03 99030132 or email abdr-proms@monash.edu.

What if I make a mistake?
You are able to change your answer or add a comment at any time before you click ‘Finish and Submit’. If you would like to add more after this, please speak to Nicole Ng on 03 99030132 or email abdr-proms@monash.edu.

How often will I be asked to complete these questions?
We will contact you for feedback again 2, 5 and 10 years after surgery. Your information is very important to the success of this long-term project. We strive to keep the feedback process as simple and convenient for our participants as possible.

More information about follow-up and the ABDR can be found on the Patient Explanatory Statement sent to you by ABDR when your procedure was first recorded in the registry.
If you would like to know more about the ABDR or have a question about the BREAST-Q I.S. questionnaire, please contact Nicole Ng on 03 99030132 or abdr-proms@monash.edu.