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Differences in physician and patient ratings of items used to assess hip disorders
RobRoy L Martin1, Nicholas G Mohtadi, Marc R Safran
1Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Insights
Patient priorities for hip conditions differ from surgeon perceptions. Understanding patient-centered outcomes is crucial for effective treatment and managing expectations after hip surgery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Patient-Reported Outcomes
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
Background:
- Active individuals with hip lesions seek treatment for musculoskeletal hip disease.
- Surgeons' perceptions of patient priorities may not align with patient-reported importance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify issues important to patients with hip lesions.
- To compare patient-identified priorities with those perceived as important by orthopedic surgeons.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 150 patients with hip disorders and 9 specialist orthopedic surgeons.
- Patients and surgeons rated the importance of 146 potential hip outcome assessment items using a 6-point Likert scale.
Main Results:
- Patients prioritized sports and recreation items, with 16 of the top 23 items falling into this category.
- Surgeons rated items related to symptoms, functional limitations, and occupation as important, which patients rated significantly lower.
- A significant discrepancy was found in how patients and surgeons rated items concerning symptoms, functional limitations, and occupation.
Conclusions:
- A notable discrepancy exists between patient-reported priorities and surgeon-perceived priorities for hip conditions.
- Clinicians should avoid assuming treatment goals align with patient values; patient-centered assessment is essential.
- Discussing realistic postoperative expectations is vital for patients considering hip surgery.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to determine what issues are important to active individuals with hip lesions and to assess whether these issues are different from those that surgeons think are important.
Hypothesis:
A discrepancy will be noted between what patients and surgeons believe to be important.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods:
This study comprised 150 consecutive patients (73 men, 77 women) from the international practices of 9 orthopaedic surgeons specializing in the management of hip disorders. All participants were seeking treatment for musculoskeletal hip disease. Average patient age was 42 +/- 11 years (range, 18-60). Patients and surgeons rated the importance of 146 potential hip outcome assessment items on a 6-point Likert-type scale.
Results:
Of the 23 items identified as being important to patients, 16 were in the sports and recreation category. The top 11 items that the clinicians thought were most important were rated significantly lower by patients (P < .0005). Specifically, surgeons rated several items as being important that fell into the symptoms, functional limitations, and occupational issues categories, whereas patients did not. That is, a difference was found between patients and clinicians in how they rated items related to symptoms, functional limitations, and occupation (P < .01). A difference was not found between patients and surgeons in how they rated items related to sports and recreation and social-emotional lifestyle (P > .01).
Conclusion:
The hypothesis of this study was affirmed: a discrepancy was found between what issues patients believe are important and what surgeons perceive as being important to patients. This information may be particularly important when assessing treatment outcomes from a patient's perspective. Clinicians must be careful in presuming that the issues that they are attempting to improve with treatment are issues that are important to patients. These findings also emphasize the importance of discussing appropriate postoperative expectations for those considering surgery.
