Preparing for major surgery usually means checking the body, but a WashU Medicine clinical trial suggests that preparing the mind matters too. Researchers tested a care plan that combined mental health coaching with a review of medicines that can be risky for older adults.
The trial included 306 adults aged 60 and older who were scheduled for cardiac, cancer, or orthopedic surgery in the BJC HealthCare system. Patients with mild to moderate anxiety or depression were randomly placed in an extra-care group or a standard-care group.
People in the extra-care group spoke with a trained wellness coach for eight to 12 phone sessions. Pharmacists and doctors also reviewed their medicines and safely adjusted high-risk prescriptions when needed.
Three months after surgery, the extra-care group had a greater reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms than the group that received educational materials alone. The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
