Perioperative nutrition education and patient satisfaction in orthopedic surgery: a quality improvement approach

Background: Perioperative malnutrition is associated with adverse outcomes, yet nutrition optimization remains underutilized in orthopedic enhanced recovery protocols. This study evaluated whether providing perioperative nutrition education improves patient satisfaction and perceived recovery following outpatient orthopedic surgery. Methods: We conducted a single-center, randomized quality improvement study including adults scheduled for elective outpatient orthopedic procedures. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either a standardized preoperative nutrition information packet or an identical blank packet. At 6-week follow-up, all patients completed a survey adapted from the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS CAHPS) instrument assessing satisfaction and perceived recovery. Between-group comparisons used Fisher’s exact and t tests, and P values at α<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Twenty-six patients were analyzed (12 intervention, 14 control). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between groups. Overall satisfaction was uniformly high, with mean facility ratings exceeding 9 of 10 in both arms. No statistically significant differences were observed in satisfaction scores, perceptions of recovery, or reported nutrition-related behaviors. Although most patients indicated that preprocedure instructions improved recovery, adherence rates and dietary changes did not differ by group. Conclusions: A single written perioperative nutrition handout did not improve patient satisfaction, perceived recovery, or nutritional behaviors in the outpatient orthopedic setting. High baseline satisfaction suggests limited measurable benefit from stand-alone print education. Effective perioperative nutrition strategies may require repeated, interactive, and longitudinal counseling integrated into broader enhanced recovery protocols.