Evaluating Patient Expectations in Rotator Cuff Repair Surgery and the Use of Digital Tools for Preoperative Assessment

Rotator cuff repair outcomes are influenced by patient expectations, influencing satisfaction and functional recovery. This study aimed to identify important patient expectations based on the literature and assess the feasibility of using REDCap, a secure, web-based platform for data collection, to collect preoperative expectations in a real-world setting. A systematic review was conducted to determine key patient expectations, followed by an exploratory study of REDCap for data collection with patients undergoing rotator cuff repair. The literature review indicated that pain and symptom relief were the most highly valued expectations, aligning with our exploratory study. Exploratory survey data were nearly complete, supporting further exploration of the use of REDCap as a tool for patient expectations. The limitations were the limited sample size during the pandemic, design flaw with our survey consent form. Future research should explore strategies to improve patient recruitment and engagement to maximize REDCap’s potential in orthopedic surgical research.