Development of a decision aid with cost information for heart failure medication in Singapore

This study presents the development process of a heart failure (HF) medication decision aid (DA) specific to Singapore context, with the objective of promoting cost conversations.

Phase 1 was to create a DA prototype, where two HF clinicians were consulted on their input and needs. Phase 2 was pilot testing where the prototype was tested on HF patients and revised based on their feedback.

The DA is a one-page poster that compares only two classes of HF medications. It encompasses seven attributes for comparison, including route of administration, treatment duration, frequency of use, hospitalization rate, survival rate, low blood pressure probability with personalized subsidized cost being the key attribute. A total of 48 patients participated in the pilot testing with only 2 patients (4.2 %) finding the DA difficult to understand. Almost all patients agreed that the DA provided greater clarity in the medication options.

By integrating the needs of both clinicians and patients and conducting user testing, we developed a novel HF medication DA. Patients found the tool easy to understand and acceptable.

This innovative DA aims to improve cost conversations by providing tailored, concise, and locally relevant information for efficient use.