Patients' perceptions of surgical registrars' training in the private hospital setting

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The Australian private health sector is increasingly being recognised as an opportunity for advanced surgical training. Little is known about what the patients think of urology training in the private sector. Patients perceptions on the place of urology registrars in the Australian private sector are assessed for the first time. We can confirm that there appears to be acceptance of urology training in the private sector.

• To determine the acceptance of surgical trainees in a private hospital setting.

• This was an ethics approved prospective study using a written survey. • A total of 177 consecutive patients presenting for private consultation were recruited. A self-administered written survey was completed by each patient in the waiting room prior to consultation.

• Only 36.8% of subjects (confidence interval 29.6-44.1) initially understood the term registrar which significantly increased to 75% (confidence interval 68.4-81.6, P < 0.05) after reading explanatory notes. • Perceived differences between private and public hospitals were choice of surgeon (28%), waiting times for an operation (28%), standard of care (17%), cost (16%) and waiting times for an appointment (11%). • Patients' acceptance of registrar involvement with either a small part of an operation, a large part of an operation, the whole operation and assistance only were 34%, 16%, 13% and 37%.

• Patients have a poor understanding of the term registrar. • Acceptance of registrars in private hospitals is increased if consultant involvement is emphasized. • Surgical assistance and performance of minor parts of surgery by trainees is well accepted.