Influence of Standardized Orientation on Patient Perception of Perioperative Care Following Alveolar Cleft Repair: A Survey Based Study of Patients Treated in a Large Academic Medical Center.

Objective: This study aims to better understand patient-reported outcomes for iliac bone grafting surgery for alveolar cleft repair and to determine how standardizing perioperative patient instruction affects patient-reported outcomes.

Design: Retrospective survey-based assessment of patients undergoing iliac bone grafting with and without hospital-based systems standardization.

Setting: Academic tertiary care hospital.

Patients: Of the 195 identified patients, 127 participated.

Interventions: Survey on pain and satisfaction regarding iliac bone grafting surgery.

Main Outcome Measures: Survey answers measured patient opinions about the surgery. Answers of the pre- and poststandardization patients were compared to determine the effect of standardizing patient instructions.

Results: Patients rated their satisfaction with the surgery and recovery a 4.5 and 4.4 out of 5, respectively. They rated their overall pain in the hospital a 5.5 out of 10 (4.9 in the mouth, 5.7 in the hip). Patients were discharged an average of 1.2 days after surgery and could return to normal daily activity in 6.1 days. Poststandardization patients were more likely to adhere to instructions regarding use of an antibacterial mouthrinse and a protective oral splint.

Conclusions: Patients were highly satisfied with the iliac bone grafting procedure and the recovery and reported only moderate levels of postoperative pain. Implementing standardized patient instructions may not affect patient satisfaction or pain severity, but it significantly increased patient adherence to physician instructions.