A Trial Comparing Approaches to Shared Decision Making Skills Training for Clinicians

Mass General Brigham

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depression; Low Back Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Webinar; Behavioral: SPI feedback; Behavioral: DA viewing

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02871739

2016P000470

Details and patient eligibility

About

The Health Decision Sciences Center (HDSC) staff has deployed different approaches to training clinicians to engage patients in shared decision making for common medical tests and treatments. The purpose of the study is to compare the effectiveness of shared decision making (SDM) skills training courses using standardized patient interactions (SPI) and written evaluations.

Full description

There is limited evidence on approaches to training clinicians to engage patients in shared decision making for common medical tests and treatments. The purpose of the study is to compare the effectiveness of different approaches to shared decision making (SDM) skills training. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive two decision aids or a webinar to review. Participants will also be randomly assigned to receive feedback on standardized patient interaction rating their shared decision making skills and highlighting opportunities for improvement or not. Clinician participants will be assigned to one of four intervention groups using a 2x2 factorial design:

Group 1: Decision aid viewing with feedback Group 2: Decision aid viewing and no feedback Group 3: webinar with feedback Group 4: webinar and no feedback

The pilot study will provide evidence on the comparative effectiveness and feasibility on training formats to determine if:

• Clinicians improved in SDM communication skills
• Clinicians have an increased confidence to use SDM with their patients
• The training is acceptable to clinicians

Enrollment: 23 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults 18 and older
• English speaking
• Physician
• Nurse Practitioner
• Physician Assistant
• Registered Nurse

Exclusion criteria

• Not clinically active (research faculty only)
• Medical Trainees
• Medical Students
• Medical Assistants
• Social Workers

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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23 participants in 4 patient groups

DA viewing with SPI Feedback

Experimental group

Description:

Group 1 receives three decision aids and feedback on their standardized patient (SPI) interaction rating their shared decision making skills and highlighting opportunities for improvement.

Treatment:

Behavioral: DA viewing

Behavioral: SPI feedback

DA viewing with no SPI Feedback

Experimental group

Description:

Group 2 receives three decision aids. This group does not receive any feedback from the SPI.

Treatment:

Behavioral: DA viewing

Webinar with SPI Feedback

Experimental group

Description:

Group 3 receives an online, interactive webinar that focuses on SDM skills in clinical encounters and feedback on their standardized patient (SPI) interaction rating their shared decision making skills and highlighting opportunities for improvement.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Webinar

Behavioral: SPI feedback

Webinar with no SPI Feedback

Experimental group

Description:

Group 4 receives an online, interactive webinar that focuses on SDM skills in clinical encounters. This group does not receive any feedback from the SPI.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Webinar