Development and implementation of a quick reference (QR) code linked online education tool in anaesthesiology...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anesthesiology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Assessing the feasibility of an online anesthetic educational tool accessed via quick reference (QR) codes.
• Evaluating the tool's effectiveness in patient education and gathering anesthesiologist feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of an online educational tool for preoperative anesthesia patient teaching.
• To assess the viability of QR codes as a method for directing patients to online educational resources.
• To gather feedback from anesthesiologists on the tool's utility.

Main Methods:

• Developed a password-protected website with anesthesia-related educational content and fasting information.
• Embedded a survey to collect patient feedback on the tool and their preferences for online education.
• Redesigned the website based on patient and staff input.
• Collected feedback from anesthesiologists on tool usage across different anesthesia types.

Main Results:

• 81% of surveyed patients reported improved knowledge and understanding of anesthesia.
• 73% of patients preferred or were neutral towards online patient education.
• Familiarity and frequent use of QR codes were low (36% and 28%, respectively).
• High anesthesiologist satisfaction rates were observed post-redesign (over 89% for various anesthesia types).

Conclusions:

• The online anesthetic educational tool is useful for patient education and well-received by patients and anesthesiologists.
• QR codes are not a feasible primary method for linking patients to online educational resources.
• Digital educational tools show promise in enhancing patient preparedness for anesthesia.