Does written informed consent adequately inform surgical patients? A cross sectional study

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Patient Communication
• Surgical Care Quality

Background:

• Informed consent (IC) is vital for patients to understand surgical risks and benefits.
• Effective communication ensures patients are aware of treatment decision consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the provision and patient comprehension of written informed consent forms.
• To assess the impact of oral communication on patient understanding and decision-making in surgery.

Main Methods:

• Adult postsurgical patients in nine Italian hospitals were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.
• Physicians independent of the surgical team administered the questionnaires between 2-7 days post-surgery.

Main Results:

• 84.5% received written IC forms, with 51.8% reading them thoroughly; 65.6% had forms explained.
• Oral information was provided to 93.9%, with most patients finding it understandable.
• Younger, more educated patients were more likely to read written IC forms.

Conclusions:

• Written IC forms alone are insufficient for ensuring patient awareness.
• Oral pre-operative information and enhanced physician communication skills are essential for informed patient choices.