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The following is a summary of “Improving Patient Information and Enhanced Consent in Urology: The Impact of Simulation and Multimedia Tools. A Systematic Literature Review from the European Association of Urology Patient Office,” published in the April 2024 issue of Urology by Nedbal et al.
In urology, conveying diagnoses and planned procedures to patients can often pose challenges, particularly when medical jargon is involved, despite the use of radiological imaging or illustrations. However, the advent of virtual reality and simulation offers exciting and promising avenues to augment informed consent by integrating audiovisual content and interactive platforms. The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of enhanced consent practices within the field of urology. Employing a systematic review methodology adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, the researchers explored the literature on informed consent, simulation, and virtual reality in urology.
About 13 original studies were meticulously identified and subjected to rigorous analysis, with the overall quality deemed satisfactory according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. These studies investigated various modalities for enhancing consent, including 3D printed or digital models, audiovisual multimedia content, virtual procedural simulation, and interactive navigable applications. Consistent findings across the published literature underscored a significant improvement in patient comprehension of diagnoses, encompassing basic anatomical details, and a better grasp of surgical procedures, including their objectives, steps, and associated risks. Moreover, enhanced consent initiatives uniformly yielded heightened patient satisfaction levels.
In conclusion, integrating simulation and multimedia tools is a valuable strategy for bolstering patients’ comprehension of and satisfaction with urological procedures. The widespread adoption of enhanced consent practices has the potential to revolutionize patient-urologist communication, heralding a new era of informed decision-making in urology.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0302283824023054