Informed consent and knee arthroscopies: an evaluation of patient understanding and satisfaction

Fifty patients who had been admitted to a public hospital in Australia for an elective knee arthroscopy were asked to complete a detailed questionnaire prior to theatre, designed to evaluate patient understanding and satisfaction of the informed consent process. While patients generally felt that they received an appropriate amount of information on the nature of their injury and the actual operative procedure, little information was given on possible complications and post-operative care. This study clearly indicates that patients are dissatisfied when they perceive a lack of basic information being given. The findings are of some concern as they suggest that the majority of consents gained in this study were not truly 'informed'. However, recognition by medical staff of the areas that appear to be poorly explained to patients enables these issues to be addressed. This in turn is likely to improve patient understanding of and satisfaction with the consent process.