Learning the benefits and risks of surgery is an important step for patients, said Mary Theresa Seig, associate professor of English.
Seig said she and doctoral student Corinne Renguette are researching the effectiveness of a new, interactive program designed to educate patients about bariatric surgery.
Nicholas Shotwell, business manager for Medical Animatics, said the company designed the program to educate patients on bariatric surgery using audio and video files and 3-D animations.
"Basically we take a doctor's visit one step further," he said. "After you leave your physician's office you log onto the program and visualize what will happen during the surgery."
Seig said she advised Renguette, who was asked by the creators of the program to evaluate it. The team began their research in November, she said.
"Our goal is to investigate whether people learn better from the interactive form of education the program offers versus the written consent forms that are typically used," she said. "We're trying to find out how deep patients' comprehension levels are with each method."
Understanding what goes into bariatric surgery is important for patients, she said.
"It's a major surgery," she said. "You need to know the consequences and the lifestyle changes, because if you don't, it will cause you a lot of pain afterwards."
Interviews gauge patients' comprehension, Seig said.
"If you're able to talk about something in detail, that shows us you really understand it," she said. "If you barely understand it, you won't be able to talk about it."
Shotwell said Medical Animatics partnered with Community Health Network in Indianapolis to implement the new program.
The hospital covers the cost of the educational program, he said.
Patients are quizzed on their knowledge after viewing the educational materials, and their scores are then forwarded to their physicians, he said.
"This allows your doctor to target areas where the patient's understanding is weaker," he said. "It makes sure the patient fully understands all aspects of the surgery."
The program also features an informed consent form, which verifies the patients' understanding of their surgery, he said. The consent form prevents potential liability issues for doctors, he said.
Shotwell said he has received positive feedback about the program from everyone involved.
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