Patient Preferences for the Method of Delivery of Preoperative Patient Information

Abstract

The importance of providing patients with adequate additional information prior to the consenting process for a surgical procedure has long been established. This information is intended to provide sufficient detail to allow the patient to make an informed decision about the proposed surgical intervention. indeed, the general Medical Council states this in Good Medical Practice: patients must be given sufficient information, in a way that they can understand, in order to enable them to exercise their right to make informed decisions about their care.

Decision aids for randomised controlled trials: a qualitative exploration of stakeholders' views

“…Stakeholders’ perceptions varied in this regard, with some believing that online or electronic methods were best and others believing paper based was optimal but certainly the context and preferences of the end users should be considered. Other studies have shown that patients deliberating informed consent for elective surgery had preferences for methods of information provision, with younger patients preferring internet-based information and older patients preferring paper-based information30 providing further justification for engaging with users at the outset. However, it should be highlighted that a recent systematic review found equivocal evidence with regard to effectiveness of audio–visual interventions to enhance trial knowledge (during informed consent) but the authors highlight the need to involve consumers in intervention development 31.…”