Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
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Observational Study
The impact of a patient decision aid on shared decision-making behaviour in oncology care and pulmonary medicine-A field study based on real-life observations.
A patient decision aid (PtDA) is often developed and evaluated to support shared decision making (SDM) and a patient-centred approach. In this study, a PtDA template was developed to support two different preference sensitive decisions: adjuvant therapy for breast cancer and diagnostic workup for lung cancer. The aim of the study was to explore whether a PtDA improved SDM and supported a patient-centred approach from an observational point of view. ⋯ Real-life observations and the use of a validated observational tool provided comprehensive knowledge as to how a PtDA affects SDM in consultations. Applying a PtDA resulted in a significant overall increase of SDM behaviour in decisions on adjuvant treatment after breast cancer surgery and diagnostic workup in case of a small suspicion of lung cancer. In conclusion, the PtDA supports SDM in consultations independently of type of decision and department.
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Patients with mental health problems experience numerous transitions into and out of hospital. This study explores former patients' views of pathways in transition between district psychiatric hospital centres (DPCs) and community mental health services. ⋯ Shared decision making was reported more precisely as informed shared decision making. Shared information between all parties involved in care pathways is key.
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The objective of the present study is to describe the development and field testing of a preference-elicitation tool for cervical cancer screening, meeting International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) quality criteria. ⋯ The results from our field test of this tool provide preliminary evidence of the tool's feasibility, acceptability, balance, and ability to elicit women's informed, values-based preferences among available cervical screening modalities. Further research should elicit the distribution of preferences of cervical screening modalities in other regions, using a sample who represents the screening population and a rigorous study design. It will be important for researchers and screening programmes to evaluate the tool's ability to elicit women's informed, values-based preferences compared with educational materials.
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In this paper, I will show how philosophical theory can be applied in the most fundamental area of health care practice, the relationship between the provider and the receiver of care. I will look at the process of becoming a patient and remaining a person. This will begin with a discussion of Heidegger's notion of solicitude alongside the related notions of concern and care, leading to the affirmation of authentic solicitude as the most ontologically appropriate relationship between those who provide and those who receive care. ⋯ This will be followed by a brief discussion of the ancient idea of phronesis (wisdom) in which I will attempt to elucidate, from the side of the health care professional, the way that their relationship with patients can work in a way that recognizes personhood in their patients. I will also consider the dialectical nature of the relationship between patients and doctors (and everyone else who treats us) and try to understand how this points towards the conclusion of a person-centred approach to health care. Following this discussion, I will offer a couple of examples of what person-centred health care might look like in practice, as a means of illustrating, in practical terms, the philosophical approach that I have used.
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Much of the literature concerned with health care practice tends to focus on a decision-making model in which knowledge sits within the minds and bodies of health care workers. Practice theories de-centre knowledge from human actors, instead situating knowing in the interactions between all human and non-human actors. The purpose of this study was to explore how practice arises in the moment-to-moment interactions between general dental practitioners (GDPs), patients, nurses, and things. ⋯ Practices are ongoing ecological accomplishments to which people and things skilfully contribute through translation of their respective embodied knowing of multiple practices. Based on this, we argue that practices are more likely to improve if people and things embody practices of improvement.