Communication Practices in Surgical Settings: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Providers and patient Caregivers in Coastal Karnataka.

BACKGROUND: Communication breakdowns in perioperative settings are a major contributor to elevated stress, heightened anxiety, and emotional vulnerability among patient caregivers, thus highlighting the need for reliable communication practices. This qualitative study investigated communication practices through the perceptions and experiences of patient caregivers and healthcare providers across the perioperative stages, exploring the benefits and challenges of both verbal and digital communication methods. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative research design was adopted, involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with 23 purposively selected participants from a tertiary hospital in Coastal Karnataka. The interview guides were pilot tested and validated to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using ATLAS. ti 8 software for thematic analysis. A two-cycle coding process was employed to analyze the data from the participants' perspectives, resulting in eleven different codes that were further organized into six emerging themes. RESULTS: The study revealed existing communication practices in surgical settings, with verbal communication practices characterized by direct updates and mic announcements emerging as more prominent. However, limited intraoperative updates intensified patient caregiver anxiety and uncertainty. The participants perceived the benefits of digital adoption of communication tools to bridge the communication gaps in surgical settings, although concerns remained about digital literacy, data privacy, and over-reliance on technology. CONCLUSIONS: The successful implementation of digital communication practices depends on overcoming structural, socio-ethical, and technological limitations. Alternatively, a tailored communication approach that reflects stakeholder needs in peri-operative contexts would be more effective in sustainable communication delivery.