A group of UAB researchers developed a web-based decision support tool in their recent publication, “Patient, Nurse, Medical Assistant, and Surgeon Perspectives Inform the Development of a Decision Support Tool for Inguinal Hernia Surgery: A Qualitative Analysis” in the American Journal of Surgery.
Authors included General Surgery Resident Frank Gleason, M.D.; Katey Feng, MPH; Department of Nursing Adjunct Instructor Ivan Herbey, M.D., MPH; Professor and Chair of the Department of Acute Chronic and Continuing Care Allison Shorten, Ph.D., RN; Department of Surgery Associate Vice Chair for Health Services Research Daniel Chu, M.D.; and Department of Surgery Assistant Professor Abhisek Pamar, M.D., FACS.
Their study examined the informed consent process for inguinal hernias and used the information to develop a web-based decision support tool to improve the consent process. Inguinal hernias are the most common hernias and are seen much more often in men than in women. Inguinal hernias occur in the groin area, in a part of the abdominal wall known as the inguinal canal.
Before the hernia surgery occurs for a patient, the medical provider must obtain informed consent, which is a patient’s acceptance of the treatment plan and its possible consequences. According to the article, despite this critical nature of the informed consent discussion, multiple prior studies have demonstrated that the consent process for surgery is inadequate, and patients rarely understand their operation or the possible options for treatment.
Patients, nurses, and medical assistants from UAB and surgeons from across the country were interviewed to provide their insight into what was missing from the consent process.
Ultimately, the authors found that surgeons echoed many of the complaints made by patients about the informed consent process, and used that information to develop the decision aid. The free decision aid is free is accessible here and can provide patients with valuable information about groin hernias, treatment options, and outcomes.
The study’s lead author, Gleason notes, “This is a very exciting development by our research team. Thanks to the insight of patients, nurses, and medical assistants at UAB, and surgeons across the country, we were able to create a novel app that anyone can use. There is so little information out there on inguinal hernia surgery, I’m proud that UAB can provide this aid for our patients that anyone can access from any device or computer, at any time, from anywhere.”
To read the full research article, click here. To learn more about hernia repair at UAB Medicine, click here.