Innovative solutions for surgical education

A digital approach to health literacy and learning style assessment

Abstract

Introduction: The perioperative journey is filled with anxiety for patients, often exacerbated by poor communication and inadequate understanding of pre-operative information. Ineffective perioperative practices can lead to adverse outcomes, including poor health outcomes, increased surgery cancellations, extended hospital stays and higher health care costs. Addressing patients’ health literacy levels and learning preferences is crucial for developing effective educational resources.

Discussion: This paper takes the stance that health literacy and learning needs are essential components of pre-operative assessment and workup. To achieve this, validated instruments and decision support tools must be integrated into the pre-operative workflow to assess and plan patient-centred pre-operative education. This paper proposes a digital tool to assess and measure health literacy and learning preferences, aiming to tailor educational interventions for surgical patients. By incorporating validated health literacy assessments alongside learning style questionnaires, clinicians can be provided with reputable recommendations for personalising patient education. Effective patient education, aligned with individual learning styles, enhances comprehension and engagement, ultimately allowing for improved surgical outcomes and reduced health care costs.

Conclusion: Integrating digital tools for health literacy and learning style assessment in surgical education has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and optimise resource utilisation. This patient-centric approach ensures personalised, effective education thus enhancing patient care and potentially reducing overall health care costs. Policymakers and health care providers should invest in the potential of these types of digital tools to promote equitable and effective health care delivery. Further research is needed to explore the development of such tools and evaluate the long-term benefits and scalability of personalised education in diverse settings.