Table 3.

Phase 2 physician survey questions

1. How did you hear about this survey? Email, letter, both

2. What is your sex? Male, female

3. What is your age range? 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+

4. In what country do you live?

5. How would you describe your practice setting? Hospital, office, other

6. How many patients do you see with surgically-treated Cushing syndrome each year?

7. Approximately how many patients have you seen with surgically treated Cushing syndrome in total throughout your medical career?

8. What type(s) of cortisol replacement medication do you usually use after surgical treatment for Cushing’s syndrome? Hydrocortisone, prednisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, other

9. If you use more than one type of cortisol replacement medication, how do you choose which medication to use?

10. What is the range of time that your Cushing patients take to discontinue cortisol replacement medication? What is the approximate median?

11. What recommendations do you tend to make to patients taking cortisol replacement medication after surgery for Cushing syndrome? Nontaper, taper

12. What is the lowest dose of hydrocortisone would you use for a Cushing patient before completely stopping therapy?

13. What is the lowest dose of prednisone would you use for a Cushing patient before completely stopping therapy?

14. What is the lowest dose of dexamethasone would you use for a Cushing patient before completely stopping therapy?

15. What is the lowest dose of prednisolone would you use for a Cushing patient before completely stopping therapy?

16. What is the lowest dose of other cortisol replacement medication would you use for a Cushing patient before completely stopping therapy?

17. Regarding routine (non-sick day) therapy, who initiates changes in cortisol replacement medication? Myself, patient, both

18. Which tests, if any, do you perform to assess whether patients should stop replacement therapy?

19. Except for sick days, have any of your patients increased their dose of cortisol replacement therapy? Yes, no

20. How would you describe your patients’ overall recovery experience on average? Positive, negative, mixed

21. What information do you routinely provide to your patients regarding the recovery experience after their surgery? Length of recovery, medication use, symptom recovery, nothing in particular, other

22. Does the neurosurgeon operating on your patient routinely provide information to your patients regarding the recovery experience? Yes, no, unknown

23. How do you give patients information regarding the recovery experience after their surgery? Discussion, written, other

24. Do you routinely include family and/or significant others in this education process? Yes, no

25. Would you welcome a standardized information sheet from a professional organization (such as the Endocrine Society or Pituitary Society) to help educate your patients and their relatives about their postsurgical recovery? Yes, no, use my own

26. Which of the following do you suggest to patients as helpful during the recovery process? Friends and family, support groups, physical therapy, exercise, analgesia, antidepressants, massage, entertainment, activities, work, rest, religion, education, none, other

27. What is the range of time you think it takes for your patients to fully recover after their surgery? What is the approximate median number?

For questions with associated drop-down menu options, those options are listed next to the question. All questions had an open-ended option.