Clinician feedback using a shared decision-making tool for the evaluation of patients with thyroid nodules-an...

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Patient-Centered Care
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) is crucial for managing thyroid nodules.
• A pilot conversation aid was developed to facilitate SDM between patients and clinicians.
• This study evaluated the aid's use and clinician feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize clinician feedback on a novel SDM tool for thyroid nodule patients.
• To evaluate how clinicians utilized the tool during clinical encounters.
• To assess the impact of the tool on patient-clinician collaboration.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study was conducted across two academic centers.
• Thematic analysis of clinician interviews informed feedback characterization.
• Visit recordings were analyzed for patient involvement (OPTION score), tool fidelity, and encounter duration.
• Post-visit surveys assessed tool usability and perceived support for collaboration.

Main Results:

• Thirteen clinicians used the SDM tool with 53 patients.
• Clinicians perceived the tool as well-organized and beneficial.
• Median OPTION score was 34, fidelity was 75%, and median visit duration was 17 minutes.
• Most clinicians found the tool easy to use (86%), helpful (65%), and supportive of collaboration (62%).

Conclusions:

• Clinicians successfully implemented the SDM tool in thyroid nodule care.
• The tool was generally viewed as beneficial for both patients and clinicians.
• Suggestions for increased flexibility were noted to better accommodate varied clinical conversations.