Targeted Patient Information and Shared Decision-Making in Arthroplasty

Hip and knee arthroplasty are among the most frequently performed surgeries in orthopedics. An understanding of how patients come to decisions and how they deliberate internally what is most important to them is critical if we are to advise them appropriately. There do appear however to be some universal concerns amongst all patients. A qualitative analysis using focus groups of decision-making for total knee replacement (TKR) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) was performed in a primary care clinic setting excluding patients who had already undergone TKR. They discovered patient experiences (personal and close contacts), fears, and expectations, and physician trust to be among the most prominent factors influencing patient decision-making. The most frequently listed fears included the length of recovery, complications, and anesthesia. They emphasized the need for open doctor-patient communication centered on patient expectations and concerns [1]. Knowing which issues are more stressful for patients can help clinicians address these during the pre-operative consultation.