Effectiveness of Shared Decision Making Strategies for Stroke Prevention
Study Overview
This study assessed how well different decision-making aids help patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) in preventing strokes.
Study Details
- Design: A cluster randomized controlled trial.
- Location: Six academic medical centers in the United States.
- Participants: 1117 patients aged 18 and older, diagnosed with non-valvular AF, at risk for stroke.
Intervention Methods
- Patients were divided into two groups: one used a patient decision aid, the other received usual care.
- Clinicians also had their decision-making aids randomized for their patient interactions.
Main Outcomes Measured
- Quality of shared decision making
- Patient knowledge regarding AF and its management
- Decisional conflict
Key Findings
- Using both decision aids together resulted in a significant improvement in the quality of shared decision making by 12.1 points.
- Patient knowledge increased significantly, with odds of understanding management rising by 68%.
- Decisional conflict among patients decreased, indicating less uncertainty in making choices about their care.
Conclusion
Patients using any form of decision aid reported better outcomes than those who did not. This shows that implementing decision aids before or during consultations is beneficial.
Practical Solutions and Value
- Decision Aids: Using decision aids can greatly improve patient engagement and understanding.
- Simplified Processes: Our AI-driven platform, DocSym, consolidates essential medical knowledge, making it easier for clinicians to access information.
- Enhanced Workflow: Mobile applications help streamline patient scheduling, treatment monitoring, and telemedicine, improving overall patient care and efficiency.
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