Doctor-Patient Communication: Do people with spinal cord injury wish to receive written information about their medical condition from the physiciansafter an outpatient visit or after a readmission in the spinal unit?

Study design: A survey of spinal cord injury patients attending a follow-up clinic in a Regional Spinal Injuries Centre. Objectives: To investigate whether spinal cord injury patients wish to rece ive written information about any changes in their medical condition after an Outpatient visit or, following readmission in a spinal unit. Setting: Regional Spinal Injuries Centre, Southport, United Kingdom. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to assess the following: (1) Whether spinal cord injury patients wished to receive written information about ch anges in their medical condition after an outpatient visit or following rea dmission in a spinal unit, and (2) Whether provision of such written inform ation would cause needless anxiety to patients and/or their relatives/ care rs. Results: A total of 128 adults with spinal cord injury filled in this quest ionnaire. One hundred and six persons (83%) wished to receive written infor mation about any changes in their medical condition after an outpatient vis it, whereas eight (6%) felt that provision of such written information was not required. 115 individuals with spinal cord injury (90%) preferred to re ceive a copy of the MRI scan report, with interpretation of the findings, w hile 11 (9%) would be happy not to receive such information. 115 persons wi th spinal cord injury (90%) felt that written information about their medic al condition would be valuable for showing to a locum General Practitioner (GP), if necessary, who may not be acquainted with their medical status. On ly eight (6%) did not perceive a need for written information to appraise a locum GP. One hundred and twenty-two persons with spinal cord injury (95%) did not reel that provision of written information would cause needless an xiety to them; only four (3%) felt the other way. One hundred and nineteen (93%) individuals with spinal cord injury wished to receive written informa tion about changes in their medical condition after a readmission to the sp inal unit, while six (5%) did not wish to receive such information. Conclusion: Although the vast majority of people with spinal cord injury re ported they wished to receive written information, a small proportion of pa tients did not wish to receive such information. Acceptance of written info rmation is not universal and clinicians must ensure that provision of writt en information to people with spinal cord injury should be tailored to the needs of individual patients.