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Information provision, patient involvement, and emotional support: prospective areas for improving anesthetic care

[L'accès à l'information, la participation du patient, le soutien émotionnel : des secteurs potentiels d'amélioration des soins anesthésiques]

Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos, PhD^*, Joy Dobson, MD and Jennifer A. Boisvert, BA(HONS)

^* From the Clinical Research and Development Program, and the
Department of Anesthesiology, Regina Health District, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Address correspondence to: Dr. Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos, Associate Professor, Deptartment of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada. Phone: 306-585-5133; Fax: 306-585-4287; E-mail: hadjista{at}vregina.ca

Purpose: To explore patients' perceptions of anesthetic care as measured by a patient-centered care survey. Specifically, the survey examined patient views of multiple diverse dimensions of care that are not typically fully addressed among patients receiving anesthesia services, namely opinions on Information Provision, Involvement in Care, Respect Shown, Physical Comfort, and Emotional Support.

Method: A total of 268 patients responded to a patient-centered care survey, a self-report factor analytically derived instrument designed to measure the aforementioned dimensions of care.

Results: Analyses revealed that the highest ratings of care were given to Physical Comfort and Respect. Ratings of Information Provision, Involvement, and Emotional Support were significantly lower. Ratings did not differ as a function of site of service, inpatient vs day surgery, surgical service, type of anesthetic, or anesthesiologist.

Discussion: The findings generated from the study are of value in obtaining a broader understanding of anesthesia services from the patient's perspective, and also in directing quality improvement initiatives. Other departments of anesthesiology interested in quality improvement initiatives may similarly benefit from measurement of patient-centered care.