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Communication Training for the Preoperative Anesthesia Consultation Reduces Anxiety: A Prospective, Patient-Blinded
Nina Zech1, Anna Bauer, Ernil Hansen
1From the Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
Anesthesia and Analgesia
|December 4, 2025
Summary
Training anesthesiologists in specific communication skills significantly reduces patient anxiety before surgery. This targeted approach improves patient outcomes by mitigating negative expectations and enhancing the preoperative anesthesia consultation experience.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Medical Education
- Patient Communication
Background:
- Preoperative anesthesia consultations can induce negative patient expectations and anxiety, potentially leading to nocebo effects and poorer surgical outcomes.
- Patient anxiety is closely linked to negative surgical outcomes, highlighting the need for effective anxiety reduction strategies.
- Effective communication skills training for anesthesiologists is crucial for managing preoperative anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of communication skills training for anesthesiologists on patient anxiety levels during preoperative consultations.
- To determine if enhanced communication strategies can mitigate the nocebo effect associated with risk disclosure.
Main Methods:
- A single-institution study measured patient anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), numeric rating scale (NRS), and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS).
- Anesthesiologists received a 1-hour training session focused on positive communication aspects (benefits, monitoring, managing adverse events) alongside risk information.
- Patients were divided into a control group (standard consultation) and an intervention group (consultation with trained anesthesiologists).
Main Results:
- The preoperative consultation reduced anesthesia-related anxiety in 85% of patients.
- The intervention group, whose anesthesiologists received training, showed a more pronounced anxiety reduction (89.5%) compared to the control group (81.5%) (p = 0.003).
- Anesthesia-related anxiety decreased significantly (-11%), with the most substantial improvements observed in patients with high pre-existing anxiety.
Conclusions:
- A single training session on risk communication significantly enhances anesthesiologists' ability to reduce patient anxiety.
- Evidence-based educational interventions for risk communication are feasible and effective in clinical practice.
- Improving preoperative communication is a vital strategy for enhancing patient safety and surgical outcomes.
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