Provider use of collaborative goal setting with glaucoma patients

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Patient Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Glaucoma management requires patient adherence to medication.
• Effective communication and shared decision-making are crucial for treatment success.
• Understanding patient perspectives is key to individualized care plans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the extent of collaborative goal setting in new glaucoma medication prescriptions.
• To assess the use of individualized patient assessments regarding glaucoma views.
• To identify provider practices in engaging patients during initial glaucoma treatment discussions.

Main Methods:

• Videotaping and post-visit interviews of patients newly prescribed glaucoma medications.
• Analysis of 51 patient visits across six ophthalmology clinics.
• Coding of transcripts to identify collaborative goal setting and individualized assessment strategies.

Main Results:

• Providers offered treatment options in only 37% of visits; patient preferences were sought in less than 20%.
• African American patients were more likely to have their treatment preferences and views on glaucoma discussed.
• Individualized assessments of patient confidence in medication use were more frequent for African American patients.

Conclusions:

• Many eye care providers did not utilize collaborative goal setting when initiating glaucoma treatment.
• Individualized assessments of patient perspectives on glaucoma were infrequently performed.
• Disparities in communication practices were observed, with African American patients receiving more engagement.