Insights for Healthcare Providers on Shared Decision-Making in Multiple Sclerosis: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Health Services Research
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) is vital for optimizing treatment adherence and outcomes, especially in multiple sclerosis (MS) with complex, high-efficacy therapies.
• Limited direct evidence exists on the effectiveness of SDM in clinical practice for MS.
• Patient factors like age, ethnicity, perceptions, invisible symptoms, and comorbidities can hinder SDM participation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review potential barriers to SDM in multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment.
• To provide healthcare providers (HCPs) with strategies to overcome these barriers.
• To enhance patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes through improved SDM.

Main Methods:

• Literature review identifying factors influencing patient participation in SDM.
• Analysis of barriers to SDM in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment.
• Development of a strategic approach for HCPs to facilitate SDM.

Main Results:

• Identified multiple patient-specific factors (age, ethnicity, symptoms, psychological comorbidities) influencing SDM.
• Highlighted the need for HCPs to actively address these factors and facilitate patient involvement.
• Emphasized the HCP's role in ensuring patients feel informed and comfortable participating in treatment decisions.

Conclusions:

• Addressing barriers to SDM is crucial for effective multiple sclerosis (MS) management.
• HCPs require strategies to foster SDM, considering individual patient needs and circumstances.
• Optimizing SDM leads to improved patient satisfaction and better treatment outcomes in MS.