Authors (including presenting author) :
Liu HHW, Kong SH, Lui KC, Lau CH, Hui YT
Affiliation :
Combined Endoscopy Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Introduction :
QR codes are commonly used for information delivery in everyday life, and their use has grown in the healthcare sector since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the application of educational videos delivered via QR codes to facilitate informed consent and enhance the quality of care in endoscopy is not well established.
Objectives :
Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of sharing procedural information through short educational videos accessed via QR code and to assess patients’ experience compared to current standard of care, which consists of information leaflets.
Methodology :
This study was part of a prospective service quality improvement initiative conducted at the Combined Endoscopy Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong. Approval was obtained from the Endoscopy Committee and Quality & Safety Team at the hospital.
Patients received standard information leaflets and were invited to watch a short educational video on their mobile phones by scanning QR codes printed on the leaflets before the procedure. Those without smartphones were provided with a tablet to view the videos. Afterwards, participants voluntarily completed a specially designed questionnaire via Google Forms to evaluate their understanding of procedure and their personal experiences.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 120 patients scheduled for upper (OGD) and lower endoscopy (colonoscopy) between May and November 2024 completed the questionnaire. Among the respondents, 10.8% were aged 20-39, 38.3% were aged 40-59, 47.5% were aged 60-80 and 3.4% were above 80 years old. More than half of them (59.2%) were female. The education levels of patients were as follows: 16.7% had primary education or below, 50% achieved secondary education, and 33.3% attained tertiary education or higher.
Most participants (86.7%) had previously used QR codes. After watching the educational videos, 95.8% of subjects reported improved understanding, and 96.7% felt more prepared for the procedure, while 71.7% expressed reduced anxiety about the endoscopy. 40% preferred the educational video for procedural preparation, compared to 4.2% who favoured the information leaflet. Meanwhile, 55.8% of patients believed both options were equally effective. Additionally, 85.8% of respondents would recommend the video to others.
Our study demonstrated that using QR codes to deliver patient educational videos effectively conveys procedural information, improves patients’ experience and alleviates their anxiety. This method is more engaging, environmentally friendly, and facilitates the informed consent process in endoscopic procedures.
