Replay to Recover: A Modern Approach to Postoperative Instructions.

Abstract

The success of surgical intervention extends beyond what is done in the operating room, as the patient's postoperative rehabilitation is a major component of their clinical outcome for many orthopedic surgeries. Timing the dissemination of postoperative instructions can be an important factor in how well the patient remembers and adheres to the treatment plan. Surgery is a major stress to many patients, and it is understandable that information would be lost or forgotten. In an effort to reliably disseminate accurate and easy-to-understand instructions for postoperative care plans, we have implemented the use of individualized patient instruction videos during the postoperative discussion. The video, recorded on the patient's cell phone, provides an immediate resource the patient can return to as questions arise at home to guide their care as they recover.