Abstract
Aims
Hypocalcaemia can occur in up to 30% of patients post-total thyroidectomy. Severe hypocalcaemia can lead to life-threatening tetany and seizures. As part of the consent process, risks are discussed typically face-to-face, often with the aid of anatomy illustrations. As tele-consultations become increasingly commonplace, patient-information leaflets (PILs) can be invaluable in enhancing informed consent, and empowering patients regarding their own care. We performed a quality improvement project to assess the feasibility and effects of distributing PILs following consultations to improve patients’ understanding of post-operative complications (specifically hypocalcaemia).
Methods
A retrospective review of post-total thyroidectomy patients was performed from January 2019 to January 2020. A telephone survey was conducted to assess each patient’s understanding of post-operative complications. As tele-consultations began to be utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic, we designed a simple PIL to distribute to patients awaiting elective total thyroidectomy aiming to improve health literacy. Following distribution of PILs, the survey was repeated to evaluate feasibility and effectiveness.
Results
| Question | Pre-intervention (n = 15) | Post-intervention (n = 8) |
|---|---|---|
| What complications can occur following a thyroid operation? | 67% (10) able to describe ≥1 complication | 86% (7) able to describe ≥1 complication |
| Do you know what can happen to your calcium levels? | 73% (11) answered correctly | 86% (7) answered correctly |
| What are the signs/symptoms of hypocalcaemia? | 27% (4) able to describe ≥1 sign/symptom. | 100% (8) able to describe ≥1 sign/symptom. |
Conclusions
A simple and inexpensive intervention, PILs can be distributed to patients awaiting elective surgery to improve health literacy, and reduce potential patient harm.