AB081. Improving the patient experience in ENT outpatients: does written information help?

Background: Flexible nasendoscopy is an exceptionally common procedure in the ENT outpatient clinic and is considered an extension of routine physical examination. However, there is a paucity of information regarding this procedure and some patients complain of discomfort or distress during the procedure. The purpose of this audit was to assess whether written information regarding flexible nasendoscopy would improve the patient experience in this invasive test.

Methods: A questionnaire was circulated in the ENT outpatients departments of St Vincent’s and St Michael’s Hospitals. The first part of the audit was to assess the patient experience of flexible nasendoscopy using subjective measures including an arbitrary scale of 1–10 (1= I didn’t mind having it at all, 10= it was the worst/most uncomfortable procedure I have endured). The second part was a different questionnaire to those who had been given the information leaflet to see if their subjective experience of the procedure had improved.

Results: Fifty patients were included in the first part of the audit and 50 in the second. Overall, patients did not feel that they would want to read about the procedure. However, those who were given the information leaflet had a significant improvement in their experience of flexible nasendoscopy and felt their understanding was enhanced.

Conclusions: Our audit shows that written information regarding routine outpatients procedures and this may lead to a decrease in patient dissatisfaction, complaints, and litigation.

Keywords: Audit; quality improvement; nasendoscopy