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Improving Information Provision for Neurosurgical Patients: A Qualitative Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 September 2014

Alexa N. Bramall  and
Mark Bernstein
Alexa N. Bramall
Affiliation:
Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mark Bernstein*
Affiliation:
Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
*
Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, 4West Wing, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada. Email: mark.bernstein@uhn.ca.
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Abstract

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Background:

Patients confronted with the daunting prospect of a potentially life-altering procedure with uncertain outcome demonstrate high levels of anxiety and need for information. Regardless, many patients are left unsatisfied by the amount of information received from physicians. This study sought to examine the information-seeking patterns of patients and suggest ways to optimize the communication of medical information, specifically within the context of neurosurgery.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 neurosurgical patients operated on for benign or malignant brain tumors. Interviews were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis in NVivo10.

Results:

Three major themes relating to information-seeking by neurosurgical patients were identified: 1) almost all patients searched for information on the Internet; 2) in addition to characterizing the tumor as benign or malignant, patients sought additional information such as the location of the tumor in the brain; and 3) patients with malignant tumors were less likely to seek information online and more likely to consider alternative therapies. To improve the provision of information to neurosurgical patients, physicians can 1) offer to review imaging results with patients; 2) promote an environment open to questions; 3) provide information in a forthright manner, avoiding the use of medical jargon; and 4) consider guiding patients to reliable Internet sites and facilitating written records of consultations.

Conclusions:

There are many ways that physicians can improve the provision of information to patients, including providing written information and physician recommended online resources, and being mindful of patient perceived time constraints and barriers to effective communication.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Amélioration de l'information transmise aux patients traités en neurochirurgie : une étude qualitative.

Contexte:

Les patients qui font face à l'éventualité redoutable d'une chirurgie susceptible de changer leur vie et dont l'issue est incertaine ressentent énormément d'anxiété et ils ont besoin d'information. Cependant, plusieurs patients demeurent insatisfaits de la quantité d'information qu'ils reçoivent des médecins. Dans cette étude, nous avons examiné les modalités d'accès à l'information utilisées par les patients et nous suggérons des façons d'optimiser la communication de l'information médicale, spécifiquement dans le contexte de la neurochirurgie.

Méthode:

Nous avons procédé à des entrevues semi-structurées chez 31 patients traités en neurochirurgie pour des tumeurs cérébrales bénignes ou malignes. Les entrevues ont été transcrites et soumises à une analyse thématique au moyen du logiciel NVivol0.

Résultats:

Trois thèmes majeurs liés à la recherche d'information par les patients en neurochirurgie ont été identifiés : 1) presque tous les patients ont cherché de l'information dans Internet ; 2) en plus de caractériser la tumeur comme étant bénigne ou maligne, les patients ont cherché de l'information sur la localisation de la tumeur dans le cerveau et 3) les patients atteints de tumeurs malignes étaient moins susceptibles de chercher de l'information en ligne et plus susceptibles d'envisager recourir à des thérapies alternatives. Dans le but d'améliorer l'information fournie aux patients de neurochirurgie, les médecins peuvent : 1) offrir de revoir les résultats de l'imagerie avec les patients ; 2) favoriser un environnement propice aux questions ; 3) fournir de l'information d'une manière franche et directe en évitant d'utiliser un jargon médical et 4) considérer diriger les patients vers des sites Internet fiables et expliquer les rapports écrits de consultations.

Conclusions:

Il existe plusieurs façons d'améliorer l'information fournie aux patients par les médecins, dont leur fournir de l'information écrite et leur recommander des ressources Internet fiables ainsi que tenir compte des contraintes de temps perçues par les patients et des obstacles à une communication efficace.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , January 2014 , pp. 66 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2014

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