Information provided to surgical patients versus information needed

The importance of providing preoperative information to patients has been reiterated in many research studies; however, the delivery is based on health care providers' view of what information should be included. An analysis of studies on the type of preoperative information given to patients confirms the lack of patient focus when delivering such information. In this study, a multifaceted approach was used to determine patients' and health care providers' perceptions about preoperative information. Importance was placed on information about the details of anesthesia by all three cohorts (ie, patients, nurses, physicians). A gap in information provided about the details of anesthesia and the OR environment was found. Further analysis seems to attribute the inadequate information received by patients to health care providers' misunderstanding regarding the information patients want.