Pre-operative education prior to elective hip arthroplasty surgery improves postoperative outcome

Enhanced recovery programmes have improved outcomes following elective arthroplasty surgery. There are few studies assessing the role of patient education. We therefore assessed the outcomes for patients treated at our unit.

In our enhanced recovery programme, all patients are offered the chance to attend a pre-operative education class. Not all patients attend, thus allowing comparison of outcomes using our prospectively collected database.

Between April 2009 and March 2013, 318 patients underwent elective total hip replacement (THR): 233 attended the class, and 85 did not. Patients attending had a significantly reduced length of stay when compared with nonattenders (3.53 vs 4.27 days, p = 0.046). This produced cost savings of >£10,000 per year.

Our analysis demonstrates that preoperative education produces significantly shorter lengths of stay and cost savings. There are also effects on mobilisation and outcome scores. Patients should therefore be encouraged to attend these classes.