Digital informed consent for paediatric spinal surgery: a patient-centric evaluation of eConsent utilization

Informed consent is a fundamental aspect of surgical care, ensuring that patients comprehend the nature, risks, and benefits of their procedures. With the growing adoption of digital healthcare solutions, electronic consent (eConsent) has emerged as an alternative to traditional paper-based consent. This study evaluates patient experiences with eConsent in the context of paediatric scoliosis surgery at our institution.

A prospective review of 46 patient responses to eConsent surveys was conducted. Data collected included the likelihood of recommending eConsent, the perceived ease of the process (rated 0-10, with 0 being the easiest), preferred method of consent (paper vs. eConsent), adequacy of information provided (yes/no), and overall satisfaction with the consent process (rated 1-10). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

Among the 46 respondents, 97.8% preferred eConsent over traditional paper-based consent, while none explicitly favored paper. Most patients selected "Extremely Likely" or "Likely" when asked if they would recommend eConsent. The quality and quantity of information provided were deemed adequate by 97.8% of patients. The average overall process rating was 9.0/10, indicating a high level of patient satisfaction. Notably, the difficulty rating averaged 0.76/10, indicating greater ease, demonstrating that patients found the digital process highly user-friendly.

This study highlights a possible preference for eConsent in spinal surgery, with high satisfaction ratings and widespread agreement on information adequacy. The low difficulty scores (indicating a smooth and simple process) suggest that eConsent is well-received and accessible to patients. However, the lack of strong recommendations in survey responses warrants further investigation into potential areas of improvement, including how patient satisfaction metrics are assessed and interpreted. Future work should explore strategies to further optimize digital consent workflows and address any remaining barriers to adoption.