Verbal information about anesthesia before scheduled surgery - contents and patient satisfaction

Objective: The contents of information for patients before medical procedures are outlined by legislation and guidelines. The amount and form are less regulated. Our aim was to evaluate the contents of verbal information provided by anesthesiologists in a long-established preoperative clinic, and how satisfied patients are with it.

Methods: A questionnaire based on legislation and the DISCERN quality criteria for information on treatment choices was sent to patients who recently had anesthesia for elective hysterectomy in our hospital (n=372), and to the anesthesiologists involved (n=24).

Results: Preoperative information was regarded as sufficient by 82% of the patients and rated good by 65%. Information on the benefits of anesthesia, its risks, and effects on the quality of life was considered satisfactory by 74%, 49%, and 49%, respectively. Only 54% received enough information on lifestyle interventions to reduce their individual risks. Of the anesthesiologists, 33% had a policy to tell about risks on request only.

Conclusion: Verbal information was highly appreciated by the patients, but only two-thirds rated its quality as good, and half were satisfied with the information concerning risks.

Practice implications: More attention has to be focused on how to offer information on risks and self-help interventions to reduce them.