Improving shared decision-making in vascular surgery: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

Fabiënne E Stubenrouch, Loes J Peters*, Sylvana M L de Mik, Peter L Klemm, Arnoud G Peppelenbosch, Stella C W M Schreurs, Dick M Scharn, Dink A Legemate, Ron Balm, Dirk T Ubbink, OVIDIUS study group

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: For various vascular surgical disorders different treatment options are available and feasible. Hence, vascular surgery seems an area par excellence for shared decision-making (SDM), in which clinicians incorporate patients' preferences into the final treatment decision. However, current SDM-levels in vascular surgical outpatient clinics is below expectations. To improve this, different decision support tools (DSTs) were developed: online patient decision aids, consultation cards and decision cards.

METHODS: This stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial was conducted in 13 Dutch hospitals. Besides the developed DSTs, a training on how to apply SDM during the clinician-patient encounter was used in this study. Data were obtained via questionnaires and audio-recordings. Primary outcome was the OPTION-5 score, an objective tool to assess the level of SDM, expressed as a percentage of exemplary performance. Main secondary outcomes were: patients' disease-specific knowledge, consultation duration, and treatment choice. Factors influencing OPTION-5 scores were studied using linear regression analysis.

RESULTS: We included 342 patients with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); n=87, intermittent claudication (IC); n=143, or varicose veins (VV); n=112. Audiotapes of 395 consultations were analysed. Overall mean OPTION-5 score significantly improved from 28.7% to 37.8% (mean difference 9.1%, 95%CI: 6.5-11.8%) after implementation of the DSTs. Also patient knowledge increased significantly (median increase: 13%, effect size: 0.13, p=.025). The number of patients choosing non-surgical treatment choices increased with 21.4% to 28.8% for AAA-patients and doubled (16.0% to 32.0%) among IC-patients. For surgeons, the SDM-training and for patients the decision aid significantly and independently increased OPTION-5 scores (p<.001 and p=.047, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Introducing DSTs improves the level of shared decision-making in vascular surgery, improves patient knowledge, and shifts their preference towards more non-surgical treatments. The SDM-training for clinicians and the decision aid for patients appeared the most effective means for improving SDM.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: NTR6487.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)73-81
Number of pages9
JournalEuropean Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Volume64
Issue number1
Early online date25 Apr 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2022

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