A Clinical Decision Support Tool for Familial Hypercholesterolemia Based on Physician Input

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Genetics
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder with low awareness, detection, and control rates.
• Clinical decision support (CDS) tools can help bridge knowledge gaps and offer guidance for FH management at the point of care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a clinical decision support (CDS) tool for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
• To gather physician input on the content, structure, and form of the CDS tool using a mixed-methods approach.

Main Methods:

• A 16-question survey was distributed to 1161 clinicians, assessing FH familiarity and seeking input for the CDS tool.
• Four physician focus groups were conducted to gather qualitative data on the CDS tool's design and implementation.
• The study was conducted from September 12, 2016, to January 16, 2017.

Main Results:

• A high percentage of clinicians (97.6%) favored a CDS tool for point-of-care FH management.
• Focus groups revealed key themes regarding provider knowledge, implementation facilitators/barriers, and design suggestions.
• Survey response rate was 18.1%.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians expressed strong support for developing a CDS tool to aid in FH evaluation and treatment.
• Physician feedback is crucial for the effective design and implementation of FH-focused CDS tools.