A look at best practices for patient education in outpatient spine surgery

Following best practices for patient education helps ensure patients and their family members leave an ambulatory surgery center after a procedure with a functional understanding of all aspects of surgery, ongoing care, and postoperative expectations. Best practices for education of patients undergoing spine surgery in an ambulatory surgery center include a consistent and informed staff, involved patients and family members, patient-specific education, and continual reinforcement of that education. Patient education needs to include topics such as expectations, the recovery process, and pain control.