Accuracy, legibility, and content of consent forms for hip fracture repair in a teaching hospital

The purpose of our study was to assess the accuracy, legibility, and content of consent forms for hip fracture surgery in elderly patients.

We performed a retrospective review of 116 patients older than 65 years who underwent surgical correction of hip fractures at a major US teaching hospital in 2005 and 2006. Accuracy was assessed by comparing the description of the operative procedure on consent forms and in electronic patient records. Legibility of consent forms was assessed with the Legibility Index. Content of consent forms was assessed with a complication score and the Crawford-Beresford-Lafferty score. Content of the operative procedure section on consent forms was further checked for readability using the Flesch Reading Ease score and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level.

Consent forms had a mean ± SD Legibility Index score of 3.4 ± 0.5. The mean complication and Crawford-Beresford-Lafferty scores were 8.0 ± 2.1 and 4.4 ± 0.7, respectively. With regard to operative procedure section readability, the mean Flesch Reading Ease score was 32.4 ± 18.4, and the mean Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level was 13 ± 3.1.

On the basis of the results, we found that consent forms for hip fracture surgery at this hospital were accurate in describing operative procedures. Consent forms were legible but written at high reading grade levels and were deficient in including all possible complications related to hip fracture repair. In conclusion, medical documentation and the informed consent process for hip fracture surgery in the elderly can be improved.