Shared Decision-Making in Colorectal Cancer Screening for Older Adults: A Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Summary

Deciding whether to stop colorectal cancer (CRC) screening tests in older adults can be challenging. This study evaluated the impact of physician training in shared decision-making (SDM) and electronic previsit reminders on the receipt of patient-preferred CRC screening approaches and overall screening rates for older adults.

Key Findings

Physicians in the intervention group completed an SDM training course and received previsit reminders, while those in the comparator group received reminders only. The study found that approximately half of older patients received their preferred approach to CRC screening. The training in SDM did not result in higher concordance rates overall but may have benefitted some subgroups, such as patients with a strong intention to follow through with their preferred approach and those who had more than 5 minutes of discussion with their primary care physician (PCP) regarding screening.

Implications

Future efforts to refine and evaluate clinical decision support and focused SDM skills training for PCPs may promote high-quality, preference-concordant decisions about CRC testing for older adults.

Value of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are essential for developing safe and effective treatments. It’s crucial to extend their benefits into everyday medical practice. Our AI-driven platform, DocSym, consolidates ICD-11 standards, clinical protocols, and research into a single, easily accessible knowledge base for clinicians, helping to improve patient care and expand services digitally.

Streamlining Healthcare Operations

Streamlining operations is crucial in today’s healthcare environment. Our mobile apps support scheduling, monitoring treatments, and telemedicine, making it easier to manage patient care and expand services digitally. By using AI, clinics can enhance their workflows and improve patient outcomes, reducing paper routines.