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[How well-informed is the ophthalmology patient?]
Stefania M Mojon-Azzi1, Ulrich Wagner, Daniel St Mojon
1Forschungsinstitut für Management im Gesundheitswesen, St. Gallen, Germany. stefania.mojon@fhsg.ch
Klinische Monatsblatter Fur Augenheilkunde
|August 27, 2002
Summary
Most ophthalmic patients are not well-informed before appointments, lacking the knowledge for shared decision-making. Patients desire more oral information directly from their ophthalmologist regarding eye conditions and care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Health Communication
- Patient Education
Context:
- The patient responsibility concept emphasizes informed patients actively participating in their healthcare decisions.
- Enhanced patient information and engagement are linked to increased satisfaction, better treatment adherence, and improved healthcare quality and cost-efficiency.
Purpose:
- To assess the level of information ophthalmic patients possess before consultations.
- To identify patient needs for additional information and preferred sources.
Summary:
- A study of 106 patients in Swiss ophthalmic practices revealed that only 36.8% sought information before their appointment.
- Patients primarily gathered information from other physicians and patients, focusing on the ophthalmologist and their own eye conditions.
- The majority (94.7%) preferred oral information within the practice, with 74.7% favoring direct communication with the physician.
Impact:
- Findings indicate that most ophthalmic patients do not meet the ideal of an informed patient.
- Additional patient education is likely necessary to equip patients with the knowledge and skills for effective health responsibility and shared decision-making.