Improvement in surgical consent with a preoperative multimedia patient education tool: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative education and discussion is a crucial part of the surgeon-patient relationship. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a multimedia education tool to improve patients' understanding when used as an adjunct to the usual verbal consent process regarding first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) arthrodesis surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients were prospectively recruited. There were 24 female and seven male patients with an average age of 56 years. Well-rehearsed, standardized and thorough information regarding the surgery, its risks, benefits, and usual post-operative course were supplied verbally to each patient. Patient understanding was then assessed with a condition specific questionnaire. Following this, each completed a multimedia educational program and repeated the questionnaire, including supplementary questions regarding ease of understanding and satisfaction with the two methods.

RESULTS: The patients answered 62% questions correctly before the multimedia presentation compared to 87% after it (p < 0.001). Patients rated the ease of understanding of the multimedia module as a median 9.3 cm along a 10-cm visual analogue scale and 9.1 cm when asked whether it contained the appropriate amount of information to make a decision about surgery. Ninety percent of patients considered that the multimedia tool answered their questions about surgery as well or better than the treating surgeon.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that incorporation of a computer-based, multimedia education tool into to the surgical consent process improved patient understanding of the risks, benefits and usual postoperative course following first MTPJ arthrodesis surgery.