Subscribe to RSS

DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1808268
Preoperative Educational Counseling: A Key to Improve Patient Satisfaction and Outcome in Neurosurgical Care

Abstract
Background
Preoperative education is increasingly acknowledged as a cornerstone in improving surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction, particularly in high-risk specialties such as neurosurgery. Our study aims to assess the effects of preoperative education on patient satisfaction and outcomes in a neurosurgical procedure at our tertiary care center in India.
Materials and Methods
A prospective observational study was conducted over 6 months, involving 96 adult patients undergoing elective neurosurgical procedures. Participants were divided into an intervention group, receiving a 45-minute structured preoperative education session, and a control group, receiving only verbal counseling without the additional structured educational session. Patient satisfaction was measured postoperatively, and clinical outcomes, including hospital stay duration, recovery times, and complication rates, were analyzed.
Results
Patients in the intervention group reported higher satisfaction scores and demonstrated shorter hospital stays. While the reduction in postoperative complications was not statistically significant, a downward trend was observed. Preoperative education emerged as a significant predictor of high satisfaction.
Conclusion
Comprehensive preoperative education in neurosurgery effectively reduces patient anxiety, enhances satisfaction, and facilitates faster recovery. Implementing structured, standardized educational programs is a cost-efficient approach to addressing misconceptions and improving outcomes, particularly in neurosurgery, where the complexity and perceived risks of brain and spinal surgeries often intensify patient concerns. Adopting this strategy in our practice will significantly contribute to delivering high-quality health care.
Keywords
preoperative education - patient satisfaction - neurosurgery - anxiety reduction - clinical outcomes - recovery timeAuthors' Contributions
S.N. contributed to conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigations, resources, data curation, writing the original draft, writing the review and editing, supervision, project administration, and was a guarantor. P.A., P.L., and P.K.P. contributed to methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigations, resources, and writing review and editing.
Publication History
Article published online:
17 June 2025
© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India
-
References
- 1 Franz EW, Bentley JN, Yee PP. et al. Patient misconceptions concerning lumbar spondylosis diagnosis and treatment. J Neurosurg Spine 2015; 22 (05) 496-502
- 2 Kirsch M, Brown S, Smith BW, Chang KWC, Koduri S, Yang LJS. The presence and persistence of unrealistic expectations in patients undergoing nerve surgery. Neurosurgery 2020; 86 (06) 778-782
- 3 Wongkietkachorn A, Wongkietkachorn N, Rhunsiri P. Preoperative needs-based education to reduce anxiety, increase satisfaction, and decrease time spent in day surgery: a randomized controlled trial. World J Surg 2018; 42 (03) 666-674
- 4 Brown SJ, Lieberman DA, Germeny BA, Fan YC, Wilson DM, Pasta DJ. Educational video game for juvenile diabetes: results of a controlled trial. Med Inform (Lond) 1997; 22 (01) 77-89
- 5 Dicpinigaitis AJ, Li B, Ogulnick J, McIntyre MK, Bowers C. Evaluating the impact of neurosurgical educational interventions on patient knowledge and satisfaction: a systematic review of the literature. World Neurosurg 2021; 147: 70-78
- 6 Mitchell M. Anxiety management: the role of preoperative education. J Perioper Pract 2018; 28 (04) 79-84
- 7 McDonald S, Thomas S. The impact of patient-centered preoperative education on patient outcomes. Patient Educ Couns 2019; 102 (07) 1355-1362
- 8 Katz J, Clarke H. Anxiety management in the perioperative setting: a review of the literature. Br J Anaesth 2019; 123 (04) 452-460
- 9 Wilson R, Cummings G. Psychological preparation for surgery and patient outcomes. J Clin Psychol 2012; 77 (02) 260-275
- 10 Thompson J, Walker L. Reducing anxiety in surgical patients through preoperative education. J Nurs Scholarsh 2020; 52 (05) 531-538