Background/Objectives: Involving patients in the preoperative anaesthetic assessment (PAA) process can improve their understanding of risks and contribute to better postoperative recovery and outcomes. The iPREDICT study aims to investigate the feasibility of using an interactive consultation tool (ICT) to improve patient awareness of anaesthesia-related risks. Methods: This prospective, single-centre, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study included patients scheduled for elective surgery under general or combined general and regional anaesthesia. Participants were randomly assigned to online anaesthesia risk education in the ICT group (intervention) or a control group that watched a video without anaesthetic risk content. Both groups received a face-to-face PAA and were assessed about anaesthetic risk knowledge after PAA and two days later. Results: A total of 373 participants were randomised, and 315 completed the assigned online module prior to their PAA. The proportion of male participants was higher (>60%). Most participants already had prior anaesthesia experience. After PAA, 243 patients completed the first risk recall #1 questionnaire, with the ICT group identifying significantly more correct risks than the control group (median 13.0 vs. 11.0, p < 0.05). In risk recall #2, conducted two days after the PAA, knowledge retention remained stable in the control group, while the experimental group showed further improvement (median 14.0 vs. 13.0, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Using the ICT significantly improved patients’ knowledge of anaesthesia-related risks. These results suggest that interactive patient education tools are a feasible and effective way to improve patients’ understanding of perioperative anaesthesia risks, potentially contributing to better outcomes, which needs to be addressed in future projects.

Background/Objectives: Digital health technologies are increasingly integrated into perioperative care to standardize information delivery and improve patient empowerment. However, the overall effectiveness of preoperative education depends not only on digital tools but also on interpersonal factors, such as physician gender and clinical experience, which may shape patients’ perceptions and responses to digitally delivered content. Methods: Patients scheduled for elective surgery were included in the iPREDICT randomized trial prior to their preoperative anesthesia assessment. After preoperative anesthetic assessment, the anesthesiologist documented the communication quality and the risks explained. Patients completed a questionnaire to assess their knowledge of anesthesia-related risks and whether the consultation alleviated their fears. Results: A total of 275 included patients were consulted by 94 anesthesiologists, 65% of whom were female. Risk recall was mainly determined by patient-related factors, with online education significantly improving recall over time (β = 1.24, p = 0.034). Anesthesiologists with 1–4 years of clinical experience explained more risks than those with <1 year of professional experience (β = 2.30, p = 0.024). A reduction in post-consultation anxiety was noted when the anesthetist was female (β = 0.21, p = 0.022). Communication was overall rated as good, with higher ratings when anesthetists had more than 10 years of experience (β = 0.09, p = 0.049). Conclusions: Although we have shown with the iPREDICT study (registered in the German CTS; DRKS00032514; on 21 August 2023) that online education improves patients’ recall of anesthesia-related risks, the current sub-analysis emphasizes that interpersonal interactions remain essential for alleviating fears and improving the quality of communication. Together, these findings underscore the complementary roles of digital education and face-to-face consultations in optimizing preoperative preparation.