A Delphi Method for Development of a Barrett's Esophagus Question Prompt List as a Communication Tool for Optimal...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Medical Communication
• Patient Education

Background:

• Barrett's esophagus diagnosis requires clear patient understanding.
• Effective communication between patients and physicians is crucial for managing this condition.
• Existing patient resources may not adequately address key questions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a comprehensive, physician-derived question prompt list for patients with Barrett's esophagus.
• To enhance patient comprehension and engagement in their care.
• To facilitate more effective patient-physician dialogue regarding Barrett's esophagus.

Main Methods:

• A modified 3-round Delphi process involving 21 esophageal medical and surgical experts.
• Initial question generation, followed by Likert scale rating and subsequent refinement.
• Questions were selected based on expert consensus ('essential' or 'important') and simplified to an eighth-grade reading level.

Main Results:

• The final Barrett's Esophagus Question Prompt List (BE-QPL) comprises 67 questions.
• The list was refined from an initial 220 proposed questions through expert consensus.
• The questions achieved a Flesch Reading Ease score of 68.8, indicating easy understanding for 13-15 year olds.

Conclusions:

• A physician-derived question prompt list (BE-QPL) has been developed to optimize patient-physician communication for Barrett's esophagus.
• The BE-QPL aims to empower patients with essential questions during diagnosis and treatment.
• Future research will incorporate patient feedback to further refine and assess the usability of the BE-QPL.