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Written discharge advice sheets reduce visits to the general practitioner
C Raine1, J M Griffiths, M A Potter
1Department of Surgery, Eastern General Hospital, Edinburgh.
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Providing written post-operative advice significantly reduced wound infections and general practitioner visits for patients undergoing minor surgery. This simple intervention improves patient recovery and healthcare resource utilization.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Patient Care
- Post-operative Outcomes
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Early post-operative morbidity in minor surgery patients is often unmonitored.
- Patients may lack adequate information, leading to preventable complications and unnecessary healthcare consultations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of written post-operative advice on morbidity and healthcare utilization.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of providing standardized advice sheets to patients after minor surgical procedures.
Main Methods:
- A prospective audit was conducted on patients undergoing minor surgery.
- The study involved two phases: initial audit and a repeat audit after introducing written advice sheets.
- Patient complications and general practitioner (GP) consultations were recorded and compared between phases.
Main Results:
- The initial audit revealed 24% of patients experienced complications, primarily wound infections.
- After implementing written advice sheets, the complication rate decreased to 16.7%.
- Significantly fewer wound infections (4% vs. 10%) and GP visits (8.7% vs. 16.3%) were observed in the second phase.
Conclusions:
- Written post-operative advice sheets are effective in reducing complications and healthcare consultations.
- Standardized patient information is crucial for improving outcomes in minor surgery.
- All patients undergoing minor surgery should receive written post-operative advice to enhance recovery and reduce morbidity.