A Biopsychosocial Approach to Surgical Evaluation and Outcome

There is increasing necessity for including an evaluation of psychosocial as well as biomedical factors when assessing the need for surgical intervention and its possible outcomes. Potential problems between patient and surgeon can arise when these factors are not taken into account. Recent behavioral science literature supports the use of a conceptual framework and concise clinical method for evaluating psychosocial factors and negotiating treatment with a patient. Such a method may be useful in reducing patient-surgeon conflicts and the negative outcomes (such as patient noncompliance, dissatisfaction, medical-legal suits and poor patient care) that can result when such an assessment is not mutually discussed.