Patients benefit from online surgery prep

Surgery can be concerning and intimidating for many patients, and one step doctors take to lessen the anxiety of going under the knife is to provide details of the operation.

Some surgeons have begun using online tutorials as a part of the preoperative education process. The practice of using multimedia tools to further educate patients undergoing surgery not only increases a patient’s understanding of the surgery, but also increases the overall surgical experience for the patient, according to a recent study by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“Patients undergoing surgery have a lot of questions and concerns, and understandably so,” says Dr. Justin LaReau, orthopedic surgeon at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill. “Educating patients prior to surgery helps reduce their fear of the unknown and gives them a better understanding of their injury and what the operation is doing to fix it.”

The study concentrated on patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery for the first time, an operation that is performed over 4,000,000 times a year worldwide, according to the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

Informing a patient about the operation’s details and being able to show the patient what will be done during surgery not only allows them to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of the surgery, but also opens up dialogue between patient and doctor about whether surgery is right for them.

“Having adequate knowledge is critical in the shared decision-making process because it empowers patients to make an informed decision about their care,” said study leader Dr. Bob Yin in a news release.