Abstract: PURPOSE: To construct an evaluation index system for the continuous care of discharged oral tumor patients with indwelling tubes, providing a feasible quantitative tool for the clinical application of the continuous care index system, and improving the quality of care. METHODS: Based on the "structure-process-result" three-dimensional quality model as the theoretical framework, literature was used to retrieve the evaluation index elements of continuous care in other fields. Combined with the qualitative research on the continuous care of discharged patients with tubes in oral and maxillofacial surgery, the quality index system elements of continuous care for discharged patients with tubes were extracted. Subsequently, the Delphi expert inquiry method was adopted as the research approach to determine the content and significance of each indicator, and the weights of each level of indicators were determined through the analytic hierarchy process. RESULTS: After two rounds of expert inquiries, an initial evaluation system for the continuous care indicators of discharged patients in custody was established. This research system mainly consisted of 3 first-level indicators, 9 second-level indicators and 25 third-level indicators. Two rounds of expert inquiries were conducted. The experts provided high cooperation and attention, and the effective recovery rate of the questionnaires was 100% in both rounds. The authority coefficients of the experts were 0.832 and 0.847 respectively, and the rates of expert opinions were 84.62% and 92%. The Kendall coordination coefficients of each indicator in the two rounds of expert inquiries ranged from 0.396 to 0.424. CONCLUSIONS: The constructed evaluation index system for continuous care of discharged oral tumor patients with indwelling tubes is scientific and reliable. It quantitatively analyzes the relevant indicators of continuous care for this specific population, providing a theoretical basis for the comprehensive standardization of continuous care practices.

Key words: Three-dimensional mass structure, Oral tumor, Discharge with catheter, Continuous care, Evaluation index system