Co-Principal Investigators:

Vitaliy Y. Poylin, MD, MBA, Associate Professor of Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Rachel Hendee, PA-C, Certified Physician Assistant, Department of Surgery (Gastrointestinal Surgery), Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Stephanie Brenner, LCSW

Every year, some 100,000 Americans must undergo life-saving ostomy surgery to create an opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall to allow waste (fecal and urine) to leave the body and be collected in an attached or internal ostomy pouch. A variety of urinary or digestive system problems may require the rerouting of bodily waste to avoid life threatening infection and sepsis. Whether temporary or permanent, a new stoma can have a physical and psychosocial impact on patients and their interpersonal relationships that can significantly affect their quality of life.

Patients who have built resilience through pre- and post-op in-hospital training often experience less depression and are better prepared to cope with their new stoma. Current guidelines recommend pre-surgical education for patients, with partners often welcomed, but not required to participate. Helping patients best prepare and adapt to their new stomas with the strong support of their partners has not been well documented. The Northwestern researchers believe that standardizing education and intensifying resiliency training for both patients and their partners can improve patient and partner quality of life, and may in turn reduce rates of hospital readmission, emergency room and clinic visits, and complications. Awarded this year’s DHF grant, the researchers plan to evaluate the impact of enhanced training for patients and their partners at Northwestern Medicine in hopes of reducing the need for urgent interventions, as well as improving overall health and well-being.