RESUMO
Background: Despite evidence of their benefits, decision aids (DAs) have not been widely adopted in clinical practice. Quality improvement methods could help embed DA delivery into primary care workflows and facilitate DA delivery and uptake, defined as reading or watching DA materials. Objectives: 1) Work with clinic staff and providers to develop and test multiple processes for DA delivery; 2) implement a systems approach to measuring delivery and uptake; 3) compare uptake and patient satisfaction across delivery models. Methods: We employed a microsystems approach to implement three DA delivery models into primary care processes and workflows: within existing disease management programs, by physician request, and by mail. We developed a database and tracking tools linked to our electronic health record and designed clinic-based processes to measure uptake and satisfaction. Results: A total of 1144 DAs were delivered. Depending on delivery method, 51% to 73% of patients returned to the clinic within 6 months. Nurses asked 67% to 75% of this group follow-up questions, and 65% to 79% recalled receiving the DA. Among them, uptake was 23% to 27%. Satisfaction among patients who recalled receiving the DA was high. Eighty-two to 93% of patients reported that they liked receiving this patient education information, and 82% to 91% reported that receiving patient education information like this is useful to them. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the realities of clinical practice. One fourth to one third of patients did not return for a follow-up visit. Although nurses were able to assess uptake in the course of their usual duties, the results did not achieve the standards typically expected of clinical research. Despite these limitations, uptake, though modest, was similar across delivery methods, suggesting that there are multiple strategies for implementing DAs in clinical practice.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Competing causes of mortality in the elderly decrease the potential net benefit from colorectal cancer screening and increase the likelihood of potential harms. Individualized decision making has been recommended, so that the elderly can decide whether or not to undergo colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The objective is to develop and test a decision aid designed to promote individualized colorectal cancer screening decision making for adults age 75 and over. METHODS: We used formative research and cognitive testing to develop and refine the decision aid. We then tested the decision aid in an uncontrolled trial. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were prepared to make an individualized decision, defined a priori as having adequate knowledge (10/15 questions correct) and clear values (25 or less on values clarity subscale of decisional conflict scale). Secondary outcomes included overall score on the decisional conflict scale, and preferences for undergoing screening. RESULTS: We enrolled 46 adults in the trial. The decision aid increased the proportion of participants with adequate knowledge from 4% to 52% (p < 0.01) and the proportion prepared to make an individualized decision from 4% to 41% (p < 0.01). The proportion that preferred to undergo CRC screening decreased from 67% to 61% (p = 0. 76); 7 participants (15%) changed screening preference (5 against screening, 2 in favor of screening) CONCLUSION: In an uncontrolled trial, the elderly participants appeared better prepared to make an individualized decision about whether or not to undergo CRC screening after using the decision aid.
