PreventCombot chatbot-based education significantly reduces postoperative complications in older adults undergoing abdominal surgeryChatbot Education Reduces Complications for Older Surgery Patients

BACKGROUND: Older adult surgical patients often face barriers to accessing and understanding health information, which may affect their ability to prevent postoperative complications. Chatbot-based education may offer a personalized and accessible alternative to traditional preoperative consultations. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 214 older adult patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery. Participants were randomly assigned to either a traditional nurse-led education group (TN-E) or an intervention group (PreventCombot), which received additional chatbot-based education. Data were collected at multiple time points using validated tools to assess postoperative complications, anxiety, satisfaction, and health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Compared to the TN-E group, The chatbot-based intervention significantly reduced most postoperative complications at 24 h, 48 h, and 30d (p < 0.05), with balanced baseline characteristics (all p > 0.05). Moreover, the PreventCombot group showed significantly reduced anxiety levels (p < 0.001), and improved physical and mental health-related quality of life scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Chatbot-based patient education is a promising adjunct to routine preoperative consultation for older adults. It enhances emotional well-being and satisfaction and may contribute to improved recovery outcomes. Integrating chatbots into preoperative care can support personalized learning and reduce communication barriers in geriatric patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered prospectively on ClinicalTrials.gov on 03/10/2024; registration number ID: [NCT06624995].