Element should reflect what most patients, families and caregivers perceive as important to them.

Element is supported by consensus-based guidelines, documented best practices, standards or benchmarks—from regulatory bodies, professional societies or national institutes (online supplementary file 1).

Element is relevant to informed consent documents for all elective procedures, regardless of level of invasiveness or surgical specialty.

Element is pertinent to a diversity of patients who have varying healthcare preferences and needs.

Element can be assessed in a manner in which data collection does not place an undue burden on patients and hospitals (eg, related to medical chart abstraction and data transfer).

Element can be defined and measured in a consistent way such that clear instruction and training of raters yield high inter-rater reliability.