AI-Personalized Discharge Education for Patients After Lung Cancer Surgery

This is a single-center, prospective, single-blind randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate whether AI-personalized discharge education can improve discharge teaching quality and postoperative recovery outcomes among patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer. A total of 156 eligible participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention group or a control group.

Participants in the control group will receive routine discharge care, including verbal education provided by nursing staff and a standardized printed discharge education booklet covering medication use, wound care, respiratory exercises, physical activity, diet, follow-up, and other routine postoperative care.

Participants in the intervention group will receive routine discharge care plus AI-personalized discharge education. Within 24 hours before discharge, relevant patient information will be entered into a structured system, including surgical approach, extent of lung resection, pain score, dyspnea score, comorbidities, discharge medications, home care conditions, educational level, smoking history, and postoperative complications. A large language model will then generate an individualized discharge guidance document. The guidance will include medication instructions, respiratory rehabilitation exercises, wound and activity management, follow-up planning, and warning signs requiring medical attention. All AI-generated content will be reviewed and approved by a responsible nurse before being delivered to the participant or caregiver.

The primary outcome is discharge teaching quality, assessed using the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS) on the day of discharge after the intervention. Secondary outcomes include self-efficacy for postoperative rehabilitation management, assessed using the SESPRM-LC scale, and quality of life, assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) scale, both measured one month after discharge.

The study will also explore the relationships among discharge teaching quality, self-efficacy, and quality of life, including the potential mediating role of self-efficacy.

Inclusion criteria

• Pathologically confirmed primary lung cancer and underwent radical lung cancer surgery by thoracoscopic or open approach, including lobectomy, pneumonectomy, or wedge resection.
• Age 18 to 80 years.
• Clinical stage I to III.
• No distant organ metastasis.
• Clinically stable after surgery, conscious, and able to perform basic listening, speaking, and reading activities, with planned discharge to home for recovery.
• The participant or primary caregiver is able to use a smartphone and WeChat.
• Able and willing to provide informed consent and voluntarily participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Recurrent lung cancer or previous treatment with targeted therapy, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy.
• Severe aphasia, cognitive impairment (MMSE <24), or psychiatric disorders that prevent independent completion of study questionnaires.
• Severe cardiac, hepatic, or renal dysfunction, or another malignant tumor.
• Severe postoperative complications requiring prolonged hospitalization, such as bronchopleural fistula or major bleeding.
• Participation in another interventional clinical study.
• Unable to complete the 1-month follow-up because of travel or residence outside the study area after discharge.