Providing an endoscopy report to patients after a procedure: a low-cost intervention with high returns

BackgroundProviding a procedure report to patients after endoscopy is inconsistently practiced by clinicians.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of providing a procedure report to patients after an outpatient endoscopy.Outcome MeasurementsDemographic data, including age, sex, race, and endoscopic procedures. Assessments one week after the procedure included anxiety, satisfaction, recall of endoscopic findings and recommendations, and compliance.DesignA prospective, randomized, single-center, investigator-blinded study. Anxiety was measured by using the Beck Anxiety Inventory; satisfaction was measured with a modified American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy survey, which was validated as part of this study, and recall and compliance was measured by a patient interview, during which responses were compared with the original endoscopy report.Setting and PatientsSingle university outpatient endoscopy laboratory. Between June and September 2005, 115 patients were randomized, and 83 completed this protocol.ResultsThe two groups were equally matched, except the intervention group (received report) was older (54.4 vs 50.7 years; P = .037). Receipt of an endoscopy report reduced postprocedure anxiety (P = .001) and improved recall of findings and recommendations (P = .001 for both). Satisfaction was very high for all patients and was unaffected by receipt of a report. Patients older than 60 years had significantly lower satisfaction scores by approximately 6 points (P = .004). Some subcategories of compliance were significantly better in the intervention group, but there was no effect on the number of patients who complied with all recommendations.LimitationSmall number of patients.ConclusionsThe receipt of an endoscopy report at discharge reduces postprocedure anxiety, improves recall of findings and recommendations, and may increase compliance. This inexpensive and safe practice should be routinely adopted.