Digital Informed Consent: Modernising Information Sharing in Surgery to Empower Patients

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Surgical Patient Education
• Informed Consent

Background:

• The Montgomery Ruling (2015) emphasized informed consent, yet data-sharing and documentation remain outdated.
• Limited appointment times hinder patient understanding and addressing concerns regarding medical procedures.
• Modernizing the informed consent process is crucial for patient empowerment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a digital information-sharing platform for informed consent.
• To support the transition towards a digital informed consent process for surgical patients.
• To enhance patient understanding and engagement in decision-making prior to treatment.

Main Methods:

• Adult patients with symptomatic gallstones were invited to use a digital platform before their first surgical clinic appointment.
• The platform offered multimedia information, self-assessment quizzes (MCQs), medical history documentation, and a Q&A feature.
• Patient-generated data was summarized into a clinical report to aid consultations.

Main Results:

• 203 out of 349 registered patients (58.2%) completed the platform modules.
• 64.0% of patients answered all MCQs correctly, with an average of 18.7 minutes spent on information.
• Patient-reported medical histories were largely accurate, and patients felt better informed.

Conclusions:

• Patients positively received digital information delivery, feeling empowered and better informed.
• The digital platform shows promise in supporting a more effective informed consent process.
• Addressing access difficulties is key to maximizing the benefits of digital consent tools.