Waiting for infected hip revision surgery; exploring patient and families' experience of waiting (PREWs)

As a tertiary center for complex orthopedic surgery, evaluating current practice is vital to enhance pathways of care. A vital element of this is to understand service users' perspectives and experiences, yet little research to date has explored experiences of waiting for surgery in this cohort.

The aim of this mixed methods study was to understand patients' and families' experiences of waiting for hip revision surgery for joint infection and their perceptions of its impact on their quality of life. Data were collected via a survey and individual interviews with people who had experienced waiting for surgery between May 01, 2018 and April 30, 2019. Of the 54 participants invited to participate, 22 returned a questionnaire and five were interviewed. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively whilst qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.

Although 67 % of respondents reported being satisfied with their waiting time, all reported an increase in pain whilst waiting and 60 % stated that waiting had a significant effect on their lives and those of their friends/family (85 %). Most respondents reported high levels of satisfaction with the support (89 %) and information (83 %) provided by the clinical team.

Despite satisfaction with support and information being rated highly, waiting for surgery clearly has a great impact on patients and their families. A named clinician to monitor/oversee care whilst waiting and to act as contact to help them navigate services is recommended to support people during the waiting period.