Patient Decision Aids Before Informed Consent Conversations for Image-Guided Procedures: Controlled Trials at Two...

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Patient Education
• Interventional Radiology

Background:

• Patient decision aids (PDAs) are crucial for improving informed consent processes.
• Existing PDAs for image-guided procedures often lack sufficient quality.
• This study addresses the need for high-quality PDAs in interventional radiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of PDAs on patient understanding and satisfaction.
• Focus on informed consent conversations prior to outpatient image-guided procedures.
• Assess the effectiveness of plain-language PDAs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study at two academic medical centers.
• Patients received a two-page PDA (plain language, vetted) or not before consent discussion.
• Post-visit surveys assessed understanding and satisfaction using 5-point scales.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving PDAs reported significantly greater understanding of benefits, risks, and alternatives.
• PDAs improved self-perceived understanding of the procedure itself.
• Patients with PDAs reported higher satisfaction, feeling more informed, listened to, and empowered in decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Well-vetted, plain-language PDAs significantly improve patient understanding and satisfaction in image-guided procedure consent.
• PDAs enhance patient perception of clinician interaction and decision autonomy.
• Implementation is effective and does not increase clinician workload.