Preparing to implement shared decision making in anaesthesia for hip fracture surgery: a qualitative interview study

Shared decision making is rarely used in anaesthesia consultations. Because either spinal or general anaesthesia can be appropriate for many patients undergoing surgery to repair a hip fracture, this is an appropriate context to implement and test shared decision making and associated resources for anaesthesia decisions. Conversation aids can facilitate shared decision making between clinicians, patients, and caregivers about treatment choices.

We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews at seven sites from April to September 2024 to prepare for implementation of a conversation aid about anaesthesia choices for hip fracture surgery. Interviews elicited feedback on shared decision making and a proposed conversation aid comparing spinal and general anaesthesia.

We interviewed 12 clinicians and 12 patients and caregivers. The analysis identified four themes, which we mapped to the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model. We found (1) broad support for shared decision making in anaesthesia choices before hip fracture surgery, although it is not typically incorporated in current practice; (2) barriers to shared decision making, including institutional culture, preexisting clinician assumptions about patient preferences, and time; (3) features of a resource (i.e. the conversation aid) that can help overcome these barriers; and (4) the importance of engaging in shared decision making with an appropriate clinician. Suggestions from interviews were incorporated into the conversation aid.

Reasonable shared decision-making strategies such as conversation aids were seen by most participants as helpful to support shared decision making about anaesthesia options for hip fracture surgery. Engaging end users at the local level can address key implementation barriers.