The impact of a preoperative information leaflet on expectation management, satisfaction and patient outcomes in patients undergoing knee arthroscopy

• Published in: The knee 2019-10, Vol.26 (5), p.1026-1031
• Main Authors: Bayram, John M., Lawson, Graham M., Hamilton, David F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of daily living; Adult; Arthroscopy; Arthroscopy - psychology; Clinics; Cohort Studies; Decision making; Education; Female; Humans; Intervention; Interviews as Topic; Joint surgery; Knee; Knee arthroscopy; Knee Joint - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Motivation; Outpatient care facilities; Pain; Patient Education as Topic - methods; Patient involvement; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative period; Preoperative Care - methods; Preoperative Care - psychology; Response rates; Satisfaction; Studies; Surgeons; Surgery; Surgical outcomes; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0968-0160; 1873-5800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.knee.2019.06.011

This study examined the effects of a patient information leaflet on outcomes related to patient satisfaction following knee arthroscopy. Cohort study of patients listed for knee arthroscopy under the care of a single surgeon over a nine-month period (May 2017–January 2018) following the introduction of an information leaflet as an adjunct to the consent process. Outcome data was collected postoperatively through telephone follow-up. Outcome measures included feelings of involvement with decision-making, expectations being met, satisfaction, postoperative pain numerical rating scales and the Forgotten Joint Score-12. Fifty-five patients were consented by the operating surgeon, of which 28 (50.9%) received a leaflet and 27 (49.1%) did not. Patients who received the information leaflet felt more involved in and informed about the decision to have an operation than patients who did not (p = 0.016), however there were no differences in any other outcomes between patients who did and did not receive a leaflet (p > 0.05). The use of an information leaflet as an adjunct to the preoperative consultation is an effective way of helping patients feel more involved in the surgical decision-making process, however this does not influence overall outcome or satisfaction metrics.