What Can Patient Education Look Like?

A literature review about using 3D-printed organs to help patients better understand their conditions and treatments found that using the models made improvement in at least one category of patient education (understanding of the disease and/or the anatomy of the organ, understanding of the surgical plan and its implications, doctor-patient communication, patient satisfaction, and patient anxiety). While it focused on internal conditions, the value of patient education throughout complex medical care is an important part of O&P as well.

Facility certification by the American Board for Certification Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics requires O&P practitioners to provide verbal and written instructions to educate the patient about how devices operate, how to don/doff them, and their proper care and maintenance. But technology may offer room for more creative methods, and may be more helpful to more patients.