Patient Decision Aids in Primary Care
Author Information
Author(s): Burges Watson Duika, Thomson Richard G, Murtagh Madeleine J
Primary Institution: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University
Hypothesis
How do healthcare practitioners perceive and implement patient decision aids in routine clinical practice?
Conclusion
Practitioners exhibit varying orientations towards shared decision making, with a predominance of practitioner-centred approaches over patient-centred ones.
Supporting Evidence
- Practitioners expressed concerns that patient decision aids might threaten their roles.
- Some practitioners found it difficult to remove themselves from the role of decision maker.
- Participants recognized that SDM could lead to better patient outcomes but faced practical barriers.
Takeaway
Doctors and nurses sometimes struggle to share decisions with patients, often preferring to make choices themselves, but they recognize that involving patients can lead to better care.
Methodology
Focus group discussions with healthcare practitioners from five general practice surgeries were conducted and analyzed using a framework approach.
Potential Biases
The focus group dynamics may have favored the views of more dominant participants, potentially skewing the results.
Limitations
The study's findings are limited by self-selected participation and the dominance of GP perspectives in discussions.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 19 general practitioners, 5 practice nurses, and 3 auxiliary staff from five general practice surgeries.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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