Healthcare system contact following ureteroscopy: does discharge instruction readability matter?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Patient Education
• Healthcare Outcomes

Background:

• Postoperative patient education is crucial for managing recovery and minimizing healthcare system contact.
• Readability of discharge instructions (DCI) may influence patient comprehension and adherence.
• Assessing the impact of DCI readability on postoperative outcomes is essential for improving patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of simplified DCI on 30-day postoperative healthcare system contact following urologic procedures.
• To identify patient-specific factors associated with increased healthcare utilization after surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 100 patients undergoing CRULLS procedures (cystoscopy, retrograde pyelogram, ureteroscopy, laser lithotripsy, and stent placement).
• Comparison between patients receiving original DCI (13th grade reading level) and improved readability DCI (irDCI, 7th grade reading level).
• Analysis of healthcare system contacts including communications, emergency department (ED) visits, and unplanned clinic visits within 30 days post-surgery using logistic regression.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in communications, ED visits, or clinic visits between original DCI and irDCI groups.
• Older age and a history of psychiatric diagnosis were significantly associated with increased overall healthcare contact and communications.
• Prior psychiatric diagnosis also correlated with a higher likelihood of unplanned clinic visits.

Conclusions:

• Simplified DCI did not significantly reduce 30-day postoperative healthcare system contact for CRULLS procedures.
• Patient age and psychiatric history are significant predictors of postoperative healthcare utilization.
• Future interventions should consider patient-specific factors in addition to communication clarity.