Patient Educational Videos Delivered With Prostate Pathology Results Improve Knowledge and Satisfaction

Background Prostate biopsy pathology reports are often too complex for patients to interpret, despite their role in diagnosis and treatment decisions. We developed an instructional video to improve patient understanding of the biopsy report. We then evaluated the video’s impact on patient anxiety, satisfaction, and comprehension. Methods On the day of the biopsy, we presented 11 prostate cancer patients with a mock pathology report standardized for a patient: Mickey Mouse. Subsequently, we evaluated their understanding of the report as well as their anxiety, satisfaction, and comprehension. Approximately, a week later, patients received their actual biopsy report, along with a supplemental educational video explaining it. Reusing the prior survey, we re‐evaluated patients understanding of their report, anxiety,and satisfaction. Results Eleven patients completed the baseline survey, with a 45% response rate to the follow‐up survey. Before presenting the educational video, only 55% of participants accurately identified “Mickey Mouse’s” cancer status and Gleason score. After watching the educational video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2e1VhhaUWc ) and receiving their biopsy reports, 100% of patients accurately identified their cancer status and Gleason score ( p = 0.12 for cancer status and p = 0.12 for Gleason score). Patient satisfaction significantly increased (higher value corresponds to higher satisfaction, mean = 2.64 vs mean = 3.7, p = 0.015), along with patient understanding of next steps of care improving (mean = 1.9 vs mean = 3, p = 0.077) following review of the video. We identified an increase of anxiety (mean = 2.36 vs mean = 2.4, p = 0.90) when patients reviewed their own pathology report. Among the five patients who completed both the initial and follow‐up surveys, there we noted similar trends to those noted above, however, due to the smaller sample size the results were no longer statistically significant. Conclusions Pathology reports are difficult to interpret. Providing patients with report specific explanatory videos improved comprehension, and satisfaction. Our results are a preliminary proof of concept evaluation; however, given the low cost and ease of implementation, we feel that video explanation deserves further evaluation.