Is it possible to deliver targetted cancer surgery educational material using an internet-based webinar platform and improve outcomes after surgery: The Virtual PRIME initiative.

Interventions: Pre-operative education pack entitled ‘ Surgery School’ includes six informational modules based on current evidence. Information is delivered in one session anytime from 2 weeks and up to 6 weeks prior to anticipated surgery date via either in-person presentations at the hospital (3 hour session, approximately 20mins per module) or via a web-based webinar platform (1.5 hour session, approximately 10mins per session) which patients can access anywhere they have an internet connection e.g. home/friend’s house/community centre.
Surgery School includes:
- Introduction to Surgery School
- aCOUGH: targeted pulmonary optimisation package using active cycle of breathing technique, oral care, early mobilisation and bed head elevation
- Pain management: discussion of expectation of pain after surgery, multimodal analgesia and analgesic delivery options
- Nutrition: discussion of nutritional optimisation before and after surgery
- Psychology: discussion of psychological preparedness for surgery
- Exercise: discussion of exercise optimisation before and after surgery
- ERAS: evidence-based multimodal perioperative care pathway designed to achieve early recovery after major surgery that has been proven to lower postoperative complication rates.
The intervention will be delivered by presenters from our multidisciplinary team (Physiotherapist, Anaesthetist, Pain Nurse, Psychologist and Dietitian).
Primary outcome(s): The number (%) of participants who ‘attend’ (watch/listen) to at least 1 module (at least 10mins) of the webinar-based pre-operative education platform and assessed by time attended on attendee report built into webinar software. [Prior to surgery]
Study Design: Purpose: Educational / counselling / training; Allocation: Non-randomised trial