The effect of a preanaesthetic information booklet on patient understanding and satisfaction

To determine if a brief user friendly anaesthetic booklet compliments the anaesthetic service currently provided, in terms of greater patient understanding and satisfaction.

Two questionnaires were completed by participants in each group, one questionnaire preoperatively and the other postoperatively. The booklet group received the anaesthetic booklet in the mail with their booking card while the control group only received their booking card.

Of the 209 eligible, 140 patients consented to and completed the preoperative questionnaire, of whom 53 were in the anaesthetic booklet group and 87 were in the control group. The postoperative questionnaire was completed by 38 and 65 respectively. The anaesthetic booklet group had better understanding of what a premed will do (p < 0.05) and how long after an anaesthetic to wait before driving (p < 0.025). The percentage of correct answers for the more general anaesthetic questions was high and very similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in the satisfaction scores between groups. Satisfaction scores for both groups rose significantly in the postoperative questionnaire when compared with the preoperative questionnaire (p < 0.001).

The value of the anaesthetic booklet is in providing detailed anaesthetic information to the patient. This will aid the preanaesthetic consultation with the anaesthetist and provide a focus for further discussion about the intended anaesthetic. Patient satisfaction with the anaesthetic service was high in both groups pre- and postoperatively and was not altered by the anaesthetic booklet.