Patient Reported Experience on Consenting for Surgery - Elective Versus Emergency Patients.

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Surgical Patient Experience
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Informed consent is a critical legal and medical prerequisite for surgery, yet its completion does not guarantee patient satisfaction.
• Patient-reported experiences of the surgical consent process can vary significantly based on the surgical context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare patient experiences and priorities during the surgical informed consent process.
• To differentiate between elective and emergency surgical settings regarding patient consent experiences.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to postoperative patients at a breast and endocrine surgical unit over a six-month period.
• Data analysis involved standard statistical techniques to compare patient-reported experiences in elective versus emergency surgery settings.

Main Results:

• Emergency surgery patients were more inclined to sign consent forms irrespective of content and more influenced by external pressures compared to elective patients.
• Elective surgery patients expressed a greater desire to discuss procedures with senior surgeons and sought external advice.
• Both patient groups highly valued the opportunity to ask questions during the consent process.

Conclusions:

• Patient priorities and experiences during surgical consent are diverse and context-dependent.
• A patient-specific approach to surgical consent, emphasizing quality information resources, is crucial for informed decision-making.