Training providers in shared decision making for trauma treatment planning

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for PTSD recommends patient-centered care (PCC) and shared decision making (SDM).
• Despite recommendations, systemic SDM training was lacking, and provider experiences with SDM in trauma populations were unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine provider and patient experiences with SDM 6 months after formal SDM training for staff working with trauma-exposed veterans.
• To identify clinician understanding, engagement, and barriers related to SDM in a VA trauma clinic.

Main Methods:

• Survey data collected from clinicians 6 months post-SDM training.
• Analysis of clinician understanding and engagement in SDM with patients.
• Assessment of patient satisfaction and participation in treatment planning.

Main Results:

• Clinicians demonstrated understanding of SDM and engaged in SDM with patients post-training.
• Patients reported satisfaction and felt like active participants in the treatment planning process.
• Identified clinician assumptions and barriers to SDM aligned with previous research.

Conclusions:

• Formal SDM training can improve clinician engagement and patient participation in PTSD treatment planning.
• Future research should explore decision aids and target clinician beliefs to enhance SDM implementation.
• Findings support the integration of SDM into routine care for veterans with PTSD.