Perioperative Family Updates Reduce Anxiety and Improve Satisfaction

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study was a randomized control trial conducted to determine if frequent, standardized updates affect anxiety and satisfaction of family members. Additionally, the investigators aimed to determine if the length of the surgical procedure effects the satisfaction with updates.

Official Title
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Perioperative Family Updates Reduce Anxiety and Improve Satisfaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Family Members, Anxiety, Satisfaction

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Perioperative Updates


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patient undergoing inpatient arthroplasty, orthopaedic spine, or orthopaedic trauma procedures Exclusion Criteria: Age under 18 Non-English speaking patients or families Patients with families that would not be waiting in the hospital during the perioperative period

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control<br>In the control pathway, the surgeons communicated with the family only once near the completion of the procedure. | |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>In the intervention group, the families received additional standardized electronic updates via pagers. | Other: Perioperative Updates<br>* In the intervention group, the families received additional standardized electronic updates via pagers at three pivotal moments: 1) Initial skin incision has been made; 2) Critical part of the case is completed and closure has begun; and, 3) Closure is complete, and patient will be transferred to the recovery room when ready.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Likert Score (0-5) of level of overall satisfaction | Likert Score (0-5) of level of overall satisfaction of family members throughout the perioperative period | Overall satisfaction levels measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon-family update. This update occurred at or near the end of the surgical procedure. | 
| Likert Score (0-5) of anxiety level | Likert Score (0-5) of anxiety level of family members throughout the perioperative period | Anxiety levels measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon-family update. This update occurred at or near the end of the surgical procedure. | 
| Likert Score (0-5) of level of satisfaction with perioperative updates | Likert Score (0-5) of level of satisfaction of family members with perioperative updates throughout the perioperative period | Satisfaction with perioperative updates measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon-family update. This update occurred at or near the end of the surgical procedure. | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score of anxiety level | Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score (0-5) of anxiety level of family members throughout the perioperative period | Procedure time defined as the time the patient enters the operating room to the time the patient exits the operating room. Anxiety levels measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon update. | 
| Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score of overall satisfaction | Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score (0-5) of overall satisfaction level of family members throughout the perioperative period | Procedure time defined as the time the patient enters the operating room to the time the patient exits the operating room. Satisfaction level measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon update. | 
| Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score of satisfaction with perioperative updates | Spearman correlation between length of procedure and Likert score of family member satisfaction with perioperative updates | Procedure time defined as the time the patient enters the operating room to the time the patient exits the operating room. Satisfaction level measured throughout the perioperative period (up to 8.4 hours), reported at the time of final surgeon update. |