Background: In 1996, the Swedish National Register for Gynecological Surgery started to collect pre- and postoperative information on patients using questionnaires given out as part of routine medical care. The information is used in providing clinical care to the patient and for quality assessment.
Aims: To evaluate patients' acceptance of questionnaires as a means of collecting information, and to investigate whether the questionnaire is a suitable tool for follow-up of patients.
Methods: In 1998, evaluations of the ordinary questionnaires were done by an evaluation questionnaire mailed to 80 patients who had been recently hysterectomized. The results were triangulated with results from the register's database and data from interviews with physicians and secretaries.
Results: The majority of the patients appreciated the questionnaires. Patients did not report any major problems in filling in the questionnaires. Most problems were due to administrative errors of the departments. Up to 36% of the patients missed the scheduled follow-up visit 2 months after the operation. Two out of four departments regarded the follow-up visit necessary and requested by the patients. Out of 1226 patients followed up postoperatively by questionnaire, 75% stated that they did not need any medical care. Among physicians, some distrust of questionnaires was noted.
Conclusions: The patients in this study preoperatively, and for short- and long-term follow-up, accepted the questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. Questionnaires provide a more complete collection of post-treatment information than follow-up visits do. A large number of unnecessary follow-up visits can be avoided through use of a questionnaire.