A Patient Education Video Program for Post-Operative Recovery After Upper Extremity Surgery

A Standardized Patient Education Video Program for Improvement of Post-Operative Recovery After Outpatient Upper Extremity Surgery

Adult patients undergoing elective outpatient, upper extremity, orthopedic surgeries will be randomized to view one of two educational programs: 1) a 2-video series regarding post-operative pain management or 2) a video regarding wound care and activity. The effect of this educational program on pain medications used, pain control efficacy, and other measures of satisfaction and recovery will be assessed.

Four hundred (400) adult patients undergoing elective outpatient, upper extremity, orthopedic surgeries will be recruited by the surgeon-investigators. Patients will be randomized to view one of two educational programs: 1) a 2-video series regarding post-operative pain management or 2) a video regarding wound care and activity.

These patients will be encouraged to review the video online in the week before surgery. An intake enrollment form will be completed by an investigator using demographic information available in the chart.

Participants in both arms will complete their Patient Education Study Diary daily, for 7 days following their surgery. There are two versions of this diary: the Wound Education Version asks patients to report daily pain mediation use. The Pain Education Version does not include this section as patients in the pain management arm of the study record this information in their Recovery Diary.

The patient will be contacted again by phone and/or mail 1 year after surgery (12-14 months) using the contact information available in EPIC to determine the self-reported prevalence of chronic pain and pain medication use.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients planning elective outpatient orthopedic surgery procedures by a Carilion Clinic hand surgeon will be eligible for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients unable or unwilling to provide informed consent
2. Patients unable to unwilling to participate in the trial (poor English language skills, blindness, cognitively disadvantaged, poor literacy skills, other barriers to participation)
3. Patients who are or suspect they may be pregnant.
4. Patients for whom the medical provider, in his professional judgment, does not feel that the study protocol would be appropriate. (to be tracked)