Preoperative Video Education to Increase Comprehension and Satisfaction in General Surgery Patients

Abstract

Objective: Preoperative education has numerous benefits for patients, providers, and healthcare systems. Preoperative education is a proven intervention to improve surgical out-comes, increase patient satisfaction, reduce preoperative anxiety, enhance recovery, and reduce healthcare expenditure. An additional intervention was needed at the project site to enhance the surgical education process and ensure patient understanding and compliance with critical pre-operative guidelines. Methods: An educational video containing the preoperative instructions were created and dis-tributed to patients via QR code and Epic MyChart Messages. A seven-question dichotomous survey was distributed via QR code and MyChart to quantify patient perception and response to the intervention. Results: Twenty-two patients responded to the survey. Responses were overwhelmingly posi-tive, and 95 percent of patients reported that the video helped them prepare for surgery. Conclusion: Based on the review of the literature and the findings replicated in this project, it is concluded that preoperative video education is a cost-efficient, convenient, accessible, and effective method of helping patients better prepare for surgery that should be considered for every surgical patient in all healthcare systems.