Patient-Reported Needs in Postoperative Communication After Kidney Stone Surgery

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Patient Communication
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Effective patient-centered communication post-surgery improves satisfaction and reduces unplanned clinical contact.
• Understanding patient information needs after kidney stone surgery is crucial for quality improvement initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize patient-reported needs and preferences for postoperative communication following kidney stone surgery.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 52 patients undergoing common kidney stone procedures regarding communication content, volume, and satisfaction.
• Assessed patient consultation of information resources for postoperative care questions.

Main Results:

• 75% of patients reported communication deficiencies after surgery.
• Patients desired information on surgical outcomes (90%), follow-up plans (85%), and stone location (85%).
• Most patients found their urologist to be the most helpful information source (54%).

Conclusions:

• Patients report unmet communication needs concerning intraoperative findings and follow-up care after kidney stone surgery.
• High satisfaction with urologist-provided resources suggests opportunities for optimizing patient-centered communication.