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Abstract |
Objectives: To define the attitude of patients,
doctors and nurses to operative photographs captured at
gynaecological endosurgery, and to determine the value of these
photographs in patient education.
Design and setting: Postal questionnaire survey of
specialists, general practitioners, nurses and patients at a
tertiary referral hospital in south-west Sydney.
Participants: All patients who underwent
endoscopic gynaecological surgery between 1 February and 1 May 1998,
and for whom good quality operative photographs were available, and
medical and nursing staff randomly selected from lists of
practitioners within the Southwest Sydney Area Health Service.
Main outcome measures: Opinions on whether
operative photodocumentation assists patients in understanding
their condition; the value to patients of these records; whether
operative photographs assist referring doctors in subsequent
management of patients; the use of operative photographs in medical
records or as personal records for patients; whether photographs may
lead to anxiety or be used in medicolegal action.
Results: All patients believed operative images
were valuable in helping them understand their condition. 19 of 20
specialists (95%), 85 of 123 general practitioners (69%) and 23 of 28
nursing staff (82%) also believed that operative images assist
patients in understanding their disease. Nearly all patients denied
that operative images would create anxiety, and specialists,
general practitioners and nurses also felt that the photographs
would not cause anxiety. 78% of general practitioners expressed a
desire to receive operative images.
Conclusions: Photographic records of operative
procedures are regarded as valuable by both referring doctors and
their patients. Patients find photographs useful in understanding
their disease.
MJA 2001; 174: 285-287
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