Patient satisfaction with anaesthesia is unchanged by post-operative anaesthetist visit.

pearl

• D Saal, T Heidegger, M Nuebling, and R Germann.
• Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, Feldkirch, Austria. detlef.saal@lkhf.at
• Br J Anaesth. 2011 Nov 1;107(5):703-9.

Background'Continuity of personal care by anaesthetist', as defined by a single anaesthetist providing preoperative evaluation, performing anaesthesia, and delivering a postoperative visit to the patient, has been shown to be a major factor for patient satisfaction with anaesthesia care. This prospective randomized study investigated whether a single postoperative visit increased the patient's perception of 'Continuity of personal care by anaesthetist' and hence satisfaction.MethodsIn Group 1, the same anaesthetist who conducted anaesthesia visited the patient on the first postoperative day. In Group 2, a nurse anaesthetist who did not participate in anaesthesia delivery made a postoperative visit to the patient. Patients in Group 3 were not visited. Patients received a previously validated questionnaire after discharge from hospital.ResultsThe negative patient response created by the perception of not being visited after operation by the attending anaesthetist was 13.5% (95% CI ± 6.9), 69.2% (95% CI ± 10.3), and 77.1% (95% CI ± 9.1) in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, with 1 vs 2 and 1 vs 3 (P < 0.001) being significantly different. The negative patient response for 'Continuity of personal care by anaesthetist' was 40.0% (95% CI ± 5.3), 48.8% (95% CI ± 5.6), and 55.5% (95% CI ± 5.3) in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, with 1 vs 3 (P < 0.001) being significantly different.ConclusionsPerception of the anaesthetist and satisfaction with 'Continuity of personal care by anaesthetist' were significantly increased by the introduction of a single postoperative visit by the anaesthetist compared with no visit at all. Overall satisfaction with anaesthesia was unchanged.

This article appears in the collection: Quality of recovery after anaesthesia.

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