Public Perceptions and Informational Needs Regarding Surgical Residents

Area of Science:

• Patient-centered care
• Surgical education
• Medical communication

Background:

• Understanding patient preferences regarding surgical resident involvement is crucial for informed consent and trust.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the specific information patients desire about resident participation in surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify patient interests and concerns regarding the involvement of surgical residents in operative procedures.
• To assess the impact of varying levels of disclosed information on patient comfort with resident participation.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to the general public using Amazon Mechanical Turk.
• Participants were presented with a hypothetical surgery scenario and asked about their comfort levels and information desires.
• Data analysis involved hierarchical clustering, weighted averages, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scoring.

Main Results:

• Patients highly valued information about the resident's specific tasks during surgery and the implications of their involvement.
• Individuals with prior negative experiences with residents placed greater importance on all aspects of information disclosure.
• Increasing the amount of proactively provided information did not significantly alter overall patient comfort, except for those with past negative experiences.

Conclusions:

• Patients prioritize understanding residents' skills, roles, and the impact of their participation in surgery.
• Surgeons should be mindful of patients with negative past experiences, as they may require more detailed information.
• Future research should explore effective communication strategies beyond information quantity to enhance patient comfort.