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 prac...

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Published in:Health Services Insights Vol. 19; pp. 1 - 20
Main Authors: Pandit, Dnyata, Ballala, Kirthinath, Somu, G., Nileshwar, Anitha, Latha, T., Jahangir, Selim, Aishwarya, T. R., Nikhat, Asifa, Muneeswaran, Shivani, Hegde, Deepthi U., Athira, J., Kamath, Rajesh
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Inc. 8/29/2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 8/29/2026
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
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        atl: Communication Practices in Surgical Settings: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Providers and patient Caregivers in Coastal Karnataka.
      aug:
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          Pandit, Dnyata
          Ballala, Kirthinath
          Somu, G.
          Nileshwar, Anitha
          Latha, T.
          Jahangir, Selim
          Aishwarya, T. R.
          Nikhat, Asifa
          Muneeswaran, Shivani
          Hegde, Deepthi U.
          Athira, J.
          Kamath, Rajesh
        affil: Department of Hospital Administration, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
      sug:
        subj:
          Perioperative Care
          Communication Methods
          Personnel, Health Facility India
          Attitude of Health Personnel Evaluation
          Caregiver Attitudes Evaluation
          Professional-Family Relations
          Human
          Qualitative Studies
          India
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Semi-Structured Interview
          Purposive Sample
          Tertiary Health Care
          Hospitals
          Interview Guides
          Thematic Analysis
          Data Analysis Software
          Coding
          Anxiety
          Uncertainty
          Computer Literacy
          Digital Technology
          Operating Rooms
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: 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.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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