We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .
Video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension and satisfaction compared with traditional verbal informed consent . TYPE OF STUDY Prospect i ve , r and omized controlled trial . METHODS Consecutive patients having informed consent in preparation for knee arthroscopy by a single surgeon were stratified by educational level < or = 12th grade or greater than 12th grade , then r and omized to video or traditional verbal informed consent groups . Immediately after the informed consent process , patients completed an outcome question naire evaluating comprehension and satisfaction . RESULTS Patients in the video group showed significantly higher comprehension ( 78.5 % ) than patients in the verbal group ( 65.4 % ) ( P = .00001 ) . In the subgroup with < or = 12th grade education level , the video patients scored 73.1 % comprehension and the verbal patients only 54.2 % ( P = .0011 ) . In the subgroup with greater than 12th grade education level , the video patients scored 82.3 % and the verbal patients scored 72.2 % ( P = .0002 ) . There was no significant difference in subjective self- assessment of satisfaction between groups . CONCLUSIONS Video informed consent improves knee arthroscopy patient comprehension compared with traditional verbal informed consent . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level
We have identified efforts by research ers to investigate interventions which seek to improve information delivery and consideration of information to enhance  informed consent .
The interventions used consistently improve patient knowledge , an important prerequisite for informed consent .
This is encouraging and these measures could be widely employed although we are not able to say with confidence which types of interventions are preferable .
Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the high levels of heterogeneity associated with many of the main analyses although we believe there is broad evidence of beneficial outcomes for patients with the pragmatic application of interventions .
BACKGROUND Achieving informed consent is a core clinical procedure and is required before any surgical or invasive procedure is undertaken .
However , it is a complex process which requires patients be provided with information which they can underst and and retain , opportunity to consider their options , and to be able to express their opinions and ask questions .
There is evidence that at present some patients undergo procedures without informed consent being achieved .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects on patients , clinicians and the healthcare system of interventions to promote informed consent for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive healthcare treatments and procedures .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Informed consent is an important ethical and practical part of patient care .