Promoting consultation recording practice in oncology: identification of critical implementation factors and determination of patient benefit

Attitudes and experiences of cancer patients toward the provision of audio recordings of their own medical encounter: a cross-sectional online survey

Background

The provision of audio recordings of their own medical encounters to patients, termed consultation recordings, has demonstrated promising benefits, particularly in addressing information needs of cancer patients. While this intervention has been explored globally, there is limited research specific to Germany. This study investigates the attitudes and experiences of cancer patients in Germany toward consultation recordings.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional quantitative online survey, informed by semi-structured interviews with cancer patients. The survey assessed participants' attitudes, experiences and desire for consultation recordings in the future. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and subgroup analyses.

Results

A total of 287 adult cancer patients participated. An overwhelming majority (92%) expressed a (very) positive attitude. Overall, participants strongly endorsed the anticipated benefits of the intervention, such as improved recall and enhanced understanding. Some participants expressed concerns that physicians might feel pressured and could become more reserved in their interactions with the use of such recordings. While a small proportion (5%) had prior experience with audio recording medical encounters, the majority (92%) expressed interest in having consultation recordings in the future.

Discussion

We observed positive attitudes of cancer patients in Germany toward consultation recordings, paralleling international research findings. Despite limited experiences, participants acknowledged the potential benefits of the intervention, particularly related to recalling and comprehending information from medical encounters. Our findings suggest that the potential of the intervention is currently underutilized in German cancer care. While acknowledging the possibility of a positive bias in our results, we conclude that this study represents an initial exploration of the intervention's potential within the German cancer care context, laying the groundwork for its further evaluation.

'What are you hiding from me?' A qualitative study exploring health consumer attitudes and experiences regarding the patient-led recording of a hospital clinical encounter

OBJECTIVE

Health consumers (patients, their family, friends and carers) are frequently using their smartphones to record hospital clinical encounters. However, there is limited research which has explored the social interaction surrounding this behaviour. Understanding the consumer perspective is key to informing policy and practice. This study explored consumer attitudes and experiences regarding patient-led recordings.

METHODS

Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 20 hospital consumers. Participants were recruited via advertising, posters and invitation letters. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

Four main themes were identified relating to participant perspectives of patient-led recordings: (1) consumers viewed clinician consent as important, although they reported different experiences of the consent process, (2) consumers indicated that a clinician refusing the recording had the potential to undermine the consumer-clinician relationship, (3) consumers were both uninformed and misinformed regarding relevant policy and legislation and (4) consumers expressed a number of expectations regarding their rights to record and of the health service in supporting this practice.

CONCLUSION

Consumers want to record their clinical encounters with the consent of their clinician but are unprepared to navigate consent discussions. Health services and clinicians should inform consumers who want to record about their rights and responsibilities, to support the consent process and safe recording environments. Clinician refusal to consent to a patient-led recording may not lead to increased covert recording; however, clear communication about the reasons for refusing a recording is needed to protect the consumer-clinician relationship.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

A health consumer was part of the research team and was involved in all stages of this study, including the design, data analysis and reviewing of the manuscript.

Smartphone standoff: a qualitative study exploring clinician responses when a patient uses a smartphone to record a hospital clinical encounter

OBJECTIVES

Patients are initiating recordings of their clinical encounters using a smartphone. While this is an important, universal issue, little is known about the clinician viewpoint. Understanding clinician perspectives and behaviours is key to ensuring the protection of patient and clinician interests. This study aimed to gain a deep understanding of clinician attitudes and behaviours to patient-led recordings of hospital clinical encounters.

DESIGN

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 hospital clinicians. Participants were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.

SETTING

This study took place at two hospitals in the metropolitan area of Gold Coast, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants included clinicians with varying levels of experience, or clinical managers in the roles of: medical, nursing and midwifery, and allied health staff.

RESULTS

The 20 participants interviewed were from a range of health disciplines and clinical areas and most had experienced a patient-led recording. Three themes emerged when exploring participant attitudes. First, that recording was a significant and controversial topic. Second, that experiences often informed clinician attitudes and many clinicians held conflicting views. Finally, a perceived loss of control was a significant stressor. A further three themes emerged relating to clinician behaviours when a patient asks to record. Decision-making involved balancing multiple factors often in pressurised situations. Shared decision-making was shaped by power dynamics and, finally, decision-making was not informed by hospital policy.

CONCLUSIONS

While patient-led recordings were viewed as beneficial, clinician welfare and patient safety may be at risk when a patient records a clinical encounter. Current safeguards, such as hospital policies, are not used and may not meet the needs of clinicians when decision-making is complicated by power dynamics. More research is needed to better understand how clinicians can be supported in this critical domain.

Consultation Recording: What Is the Added Value for Patients Aged 50 Years and Over? A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to provide medical professionals with insight into beneficial and harmful effects of consultation recording for patients aged 50 years and over. This insight could enable medical professionals to decide on whether or not to promote consultation recording in their practice. The systematic literature search was performed in six databases; additional relevant articles were sought using the snowball method. Studies were included that investigated the value of consultation recording for patients aged 50 years and over. The selected studies were analyzed on affective cognitive outcomes, behavioral outcomes, and health outcomes. Twenty-five studies of both qualitative and quantitative design were included. Consultation recordings mainly improved patient satisfaction, recall, fulfillment of information needs, and decision-making. Both positive and negative effects were reported on anxiety. The recordings did not distinctly affect functional outcomes or quality of life. In conclusion, consultation recording positively influenced patients' affective cognitive and behavioral outcomes, and the negative effects of consultation recording were minor. Because of the positive effects of consultation replay, we recommend that doctors promote consultation recording among their patients of 50 years and over. However, more studies are necessary among older patients because this patient population is underrepresented in the current literature.

Tools to guide the identification and implementation of care consistent with the psychosocial Standards of care

Fifteen evidence-based Standards of psychosocial care for children with cancer and their families have been established. Despite the importance of implementing the standards, significant barriers and challenges exist. In order to overcome barriers to implementation and assess the level of current psychosocial care, a model of evaluating psychosocial care (Matrix) and a set of pathways toward achieving optimal care (Guidelines) were developed. This special report describes the process involved in the creation of standard templates and development of content based on rigorous reviews from multidisciplinary psychosocial experts, focus groups, and multiple revisions based on further expert review. The resulting Matrix and Guidelines are included as Supplemental Information.

The use of the PARIHS framework in implementation research and practice-a citation analysis of the literature

BACKGROUND

The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework was developed two decades ago and conceptualizes successful implementation (SI) as a function (f) of the evidence (E) nature and type, context (C) quality, and the facilitation (F), [SI = f (E,C,F)]. Despite a growing number of citations of theoretical frameworks including PARIHS, details of how theoretical frameworks are used remains largely unknown. This review aimed to enhance the understanding of the breadth and depth of the use of the PARIHS framework.

METHODS

This citation analysis commenced from four core articles representing the key stages of the framework's development. The citation search was performed in Web of Science and Scopus. After exclusion, we undertook an initial assessment aimed to identify articles using PARIHS and not only referencing any of the core articles. To assess this, all articles were read in full. Further data extraction included capturing information about where (country/countries and setting/s) PARIHS had been used, as well as categorizing how the framework was applied. Also, strengths and weaknesses, as well as efforts to validate the framework, were explored in detail.

RESULTS

The citation search yielded 1613 articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 1475 articles were read in full, and the initial assessment yielded a total of 367 articles reported to have used the PARIHS framework. These articles were included for data extraction. The framework had been used in a variety of settings and in both high-, middle-, and low-income countries. With regard to types of use, 32% used PARIHS in planning and delivering an intervention, 50% in data analysis, 55% in the evaluation of study findings, and/or 37% in any other way. Further analysis showed that its actual application was frequently partial and generally not well elaborated.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with previous citation analysis of the use of theoretical frameworks in implementation science, we also found a rather superficial description of the use of PARIHS. Thus, we propose the development and adoption of reporting guidelines on how framework(s) are used in implementation studies, with the expectation that this will enhance the maturity of implementation science.

Preferences for life expectancy discussions following diagnosis with a life-threatening illness: a discrete choice experiment

PURPOSE

To explore in a sample of adult cancer patients: (1) the relative influence of initiation source, information format and consultation format on preferred approach to life expectancy disclosure using a discrete choice experiment (DCE); and (2) whether patient age, cancer type and perceived prognosis were associated with preferences within the three attributes.

METHODS

A DCE survey of adult solid tumour and haematological cancer patients. Participants chose between three hypothetical scenarios about life expectancy disclosure consisting of three attributes: initiation source (i.e. doctor versus patient-initiated discussion), information content (i.e. estimate presented as best-worst-typical length of life case scenario versus median survival time) and consultation format (i.e. two 20-min versus one 40-min consultation). Respondents selected their most preferred scenario within each question.

RESULTS

Three hundred and two patients completed the DCE (78% consent rate). Initiation source was the most influential predictor of patient choice. More preferred a doctor deliver life expectancy information as soon as it is available rather than waiting for the patient to ask (59% vs 41% z = - 7.396, p < 0.01). More patients preferred the two 20-min rather than the one 40-min consultation format (55% vs 45%, z = 4.284, p < 0.01). Information content did not influence choice. Age, cancer type, and patient-perceived prognosis were not associated with preferences.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare professionals should assess cancer patients' preferences for engaging in life expectancy discussions as soon as they have this information, and ensure patients have adequate time to consider the information they receive, seek additional information and involve others if they wish.

Attitudes of postnatal women and maternity staff towards audio recording of consent discussions

Audio recording consent discussions, and giving a copy of the recording to the patient to keep, might improve the consent process and reduce the risk of misunderstandings, complaints or medicolegal claims. However, there may be concerns over confidentiality and how being recorded could affect the consent discussion. We ascertained the views of 50 postnatal women and 100 maternity staff (25 anaesthetists, 25 obstetricians and 50 midwives) on making audio recordings of consent discussions. There was a wide range of opinions, with women and staff similarly supportive of audio recording overall, but the women were more supportive of recording than the staff when asked if they were against it, or whether they would support recording the discussion if the patient requested it; and less concerned than the staff regarding the potential disadvantages of audio recording. There were no significant differences in the views between anaesthetists, obstetricians and midwives.

Evaluation and Implementation of ListeningTime: A Web-Based Preparatory Communication Tool for Elderly Patients With Cancer and Their Health Care Providers

Background

Effective patient-provider communication is an important condition to deliver optimal care and it supports patients in coping with their disease. The complex and emotionally loaded setting of oncology care challenges both health care providers (HCPs) and patients in reaching effective communication. ListeningTime is developed for elderly patients with cancer and their oncological HCPs to help them (better) prepare the clinical encounter and overcome communication barriers. ListeningTime is a Web-based preparatory communication tool including modeling videos and has an audio-facility to listen back to recorded encounters.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate the usability, perceived usefulness, and actual use of ListeningTime, through the eyes of elderly patients with cancer and their oncological HCPs. If highly rated, the ultimate goal is to make ListeningTime publicly available.

Methods

First, members of a panel of elderly cancer survivors and patients (age ≥65 years) were approached to evaluate ListeningTime through a Web-based questionnaire. The usability and perceived usefulness were assessed. Second, ListeningTime was evaluated in real-life practice through a pilot study in 3 Dutch hospitals. In these hospitals, elderly patients with cancer and their oncological HCPs were approached to evaluate ListeningTime through a similar Web-based questionnaire, measuring the perceived usefulness. In addition, we examined log files and user statistics to get insight into how the program was used.

Results

A total of 30 cancer survivors or patients from the patient panel, and 17 patients and 8 HCPs from the hospitals, evaluated ListeningTime. Overall, both panel members and hospital patients were positive about the ListeningTime website, audio-facility, and video fragments. Some patients suggested improvements with respect to the actors’ performances in the video fragments and believed that ListeningTime is mainly suitable for non experienced patients. HCPs were also positive about ListeningTime; they valued the video fragments for patients and the audio-facility for patients and themselves. However, providers did not relisten their own recorded encounters. Patients did use the audio-facility to relisten their encounters.

Conclusions

ListeningTime was highly rated, both by patients and their oncological HCPs. As a result, the video fragments of ListeningTime are now made publicly available for elderly patients with cancer through the Dutch website “kanker.nl.”

Experiences and health care preferences of women with ovarian cancer during the diagnosis phase

OBJECTIVE

An ovarian cancer diagnosis presents physical and psychological challenges. Usually identified at an advanced stage, the disease involves invasive treatment and has a high mortality rate. The diagnosis phase is generally a time of heightened distress. Accordingly, the aim of this qualitative study was to explore the health care experiences and preferences of women with ovarian cancer during this phase, and identify opportunities to enhance women's experiences and outcomes.

METHODS

Thirty-four women diagnosed with ovarian cancer were recruited from across Australia (median age = 60.5 years, range = 31-74 years). Semistructured interviews explored participants' experience of health care services and preferences during the diagnosis phase. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts followed.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified including "navigating uncertainty" which summarized women's general experiences throughout the diagnosis phase and provided a context for concomitant health care preferences. Four other themes highlighted significant areas where health care may be better aligned with women's preferences. These included "responsiveness in health care," "relational communication," "person-centered information," and "preparation for living beyond cancer treatment."

CONCLUSIONS

Responsive and prompt health care services that employ relational communication, provide patient-centered information, and prepare women for survivorship could improve the health care experiences of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Should consultation recording use be a practice standard? A systematic review of the effectiveness and implementation of consultation recordings

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of consultation recordings and identify factors contributing to their successful implementation in health-care settings.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted for quantitative studies examining the effectiveness of consultation recordings in health care. Two independent reviewers assessed the relevance and quality of retrieved quantitative studies by using standardized criteria. Study findings were examined to determine consultation recording effectiveness and to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation. A supplementary review of qualitative evidence was performed to further explicate implementation factors.

RESULTS

Of the 3373 articles retrieved in the quantitative search, 26 satisfied the standardized inclusion criteria (12 randomized controlled trials, 1 quasi-experiment, and 13 cross-sectional studies). Most patients found consultation recordings beneficial. Statistically significant evidentiary support was found for the beneficial impact of consultation recordings on the following patient reported outcomes: knowledge, perception of being informed, information recall, decision-making factors, anxiety, and depression. Implementation barriers included strength of evidence concerns, patient distress, impact of the recording on consultation quality, clinic procedures, medico-legal issues, and resource costs. Facilitators included comfort with being recorded, clinical champions, legal strategies, efficient recording procedures, and a positive consultation recording experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Consultation recordings are valuable to patients and positively associated with patient-reported outcomes. Successful integration of consultation recording use into clinical practice requires an administratively supported, systematic approach to addressing implementation factors.

ListeningTime; participatory development of a web-based preparatory communication tool for elderly cancer patients and their healthcare providers

OBJECTIVE

This paper outlines the participatory development process of a web-based preparatory communication tool for elderly cancer patients and their oncological healthcare providers (HCPs). This tool aims to support them to (better) prepare their encounters. An overarching aim of the project is to develop the tool in a participatory way to increase uptake and use.

METHODS

Scrum, a participatory framework originated from software development, was applied to develop the tool. Using constant feedback loops, elderly (former) cancer patients, oncological HCPs and their representatives were, as end-users, involved.

RESULTS

During six 'sprints', the communication tool 'ListeningTime' was developed with input from end-users. The use of scrum in developing an innovative tool was challenging in this context, because of time constraints of seriously-ill patients and busy HCPs and the co-creation involving non-profit scientific researchers and a for-profit development company.

CONCLUSIONS

The collaboration with end-users facilitated the development process of ListeningTime. Early involvement of end-users and flexibility in terms of planning and setup appear to be preconditions for creating a bottom-up inspired development procedure. Several challenges emerged from using scrum as participatory framework. Nevertheless, the 'pressure cooking situation', using scrum, resulted in a quick development process and a product ready for implementation.

When patients take the initiative to audio-record a clinical consultation

OBJECTIVE

to get insight into healthcare professionals' current experience with, and views on consultation audio-recordings made on patients' initiative.

METHOD

215 Dutch healthcare professionals (123 physicians and 92 nurses) working in oncology care completed a survey inquiring their experiences and views.

RESULTS

71% of the respondents had experience with the consultation audio-recordings. Healthcare professionals who are in favour of the use of audio-recordings seem to embrace the evidence-based benefits for patients of listing back to a consultation again, and mention the positive influence on their patients. Opposing arguments relate to the belief that is confusing for patients or that it increases the chance that information is misinterpreted. Also the lack of control they have over the recording (fear for misuse), uncertainty about the medico-legal status, inhibiting influence on the communication process and feeling of distrust was mentioned. For almost one quarter of respondents these arguments and concerns were reason enough not to cooperate at all (9%), to cooperate only in certain cases (4%) or led to doubts about cooperation (9%).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

the many concerns that exist among healthcare professionals need to be tackled in order to increase transparency, as audio-recordings are expected to be used increasingly.

Sharing Annotated Audio Recordings of Clinic Visits With Patients-Development of the Open Recording Automated Logging System (ORALS): Study Protocol

Background

Providing patients with recordings of their clinic visits enhances patient and family engagement, yet few organizations routinely offer recordings. Challenges exist for organizations and patients, including data safety and navigating lengthy recordings. A secure system that allows patients to easily navigate recordings may be a solution.

Objective

The aim of this project is to develop and test an interoperable system to facilitate routine recording, the Open Recording Automated Logging System (ORALS), with the aim of increasing patient and family engagement. ORALS will consist of (1) technically proficient software using automated machine learning technology to enable accurate and automatic tagging of in-clinic audio recordings (tagging involves identifying elements of the clinic visit most important to patients [eg, treatment plan] on the recording) and (2) a secure, easy-to-use Web interface enabling the upload and accurate linkage of recordings to patients, which can be accessed at home.

Methods

We will use a mixed methods approach to develop and formatively test ORALS in 4 iterative stages: case study of pioneer clinics where recordings are currently offered to patients, ORALS design and user experience testing, ORALS software and user interface development, and rapid cycle testing of ORALS in a primary care clinic, assessing impact on patient and family engagement. Dartmouth’s Informatics Collaboratory for Design, Development and Dissemination team, patients, patient partners, caregivers, and clinicians will assist in developing ORALS.

Results

We will implement a publication plan that includes a final project report and articles for peer-reviewed journals. In addition to this work, we will regularly report on our progress using popular relevant Tweet chats and online using our website, www.openrecordings.org. We will disseminate our work at relevant conferences (eg, Academy Health, Health Datapalooza, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Quality Forums). Finally, Iora Health, a US-wide network of primary care practices (www.iorahealth.com), has indicated a willingness to implement ORALS on a larger scale upon completion of this development project.

Conclusions

Upon the completion of this project we will have developed a novel recording system that will be ready for large-scale testing. Our long-term goal is for ORALS to seamlessly fit into a clinic’s and patient’s daily routine, increasing levels of patient engagement and transparency of care.

Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of audio-recordings and question prompt lists in cancer care consultations: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

Question prompt lists (QPLs) and consultation audio-recordings (CARs) are two communication strategies that can assist cancer patients in understanding and recalling information. We aimed to explore clinician and organisational barriers and facilitators to implementing QPLs and CARs into usual care.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews with twenty clinicians and senior hospital administrators, recruited from four hospitals. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematic descriptive analysis was utilised.

RESULTS

CARs and QPLs are to some degree already being initiated by patients but not embedded in usual care. Systematic use should be driven by patient preference. Successful implementation will depend on minimal burden to clinical environments and feedback about patient use. CARs concerns included: medico-legal issues, ability of the CAR to be shared beyond the consultation, and recording and storage logistics within existing medical record systems. QPLs issues included: applicability of the QPLs, ensuring patients who might benefit from QPL's are able to access them, and limited use when there are other existing communication strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

While CARs and QPLs are beneficial for patients, there are important individual, system and medico-legal considerations regarding usual care.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Identifying and addressing practical implications of CARs and QPLs prior to clinical implementation is essential.

PatientVOICE: Development of a Preparatory, Pre-Chemotherapy Online Communication Tool for Older Patients With Cancer

Background

Good communication around cancer treatment is essential in helping patients cope with their disease and related care, especially when this information is tailored to one’s needs. Despite its importance, communication is often complex, in particular in older patients (aged 65 years or older). In addition to the age-related deterioration in information and memory processing older patients experience, communication is also complicated by their required yet often unmet role of being an active, participatory patient. Older patients rarely express their informational needs and their contributions to consultations are often limited. Therefore, older patients with cancer need to be prepared to participate more actively in their care and treatment.

Objective

The objective of this paper was to report the development of PatientVOICE, an online, preparatory tool with audio facility aimed to enhance the participation of older patients during educational nursing encounters preceding chemotherapy and to improve their information recall.

Methods

PatientVOICE was developed by applying the following 6 steps of the intervention mapping framework that involved both patients and nurses: (1) needs assessment, (2) specifying determinants and change objectives, (3) reviewing and selecting theoretical methods and practical strategies, (4) developing intervention components, (5) designing adoption and implementation, and (6) making an evaluation plan.

Results

A careful execution of these consecutive steps resulted in the ready-to-use preparatory website. PatientVOICE provides pre-visit information about chemotherapy (ie, medical information, side effects, and recommendations of dealing with side effects), information about the educational nursing visit preceding chemotherapy (ie, aim, structure, and recommendations for preparation), techniques to improve patients’ communication skills using a question prompt sheet (QPS) and video-modeling examples showing “best practices”, and the opportunity to upload and listen back to an audio recording of a patient’s own nursing visit.

Conclusions

The development process resulted in PatientVOICE, a multi-component online intervention targeted to older patients with cancer. PatientVOICE contains information about the treatment as well as information about the role of the patient during treatment. Using different methods (QPS and audio facility), we hope to support these patients during their treatment. In the future, the utility and usability of this complex intervention will be evaluated in a group of older patients who receive or have received chemotherapy.

Relationship between the Physical and Psychosocial Conditions of Postoperative Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients and their Responses to an Informational Material

Objective:

Postoperative patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer have multiple adaptation tasks and care needs to improve their quality of life (QOL). Whether their supportive care needs differ according to their physical and psychosocial conditions is unclear. This study investigated patients’ (1) physical and psychosocial conditions (QOL, fatigue, anxiety, cognitive plight, and resilience) and (2) responses to an informational booklet describing cancer patients’ problems and adaptation tasks, and examined the association between the two factors.

Methods:

A questionnaire survey was conducted to postoperative patients with GI cancer.

Results:

The mean age of the 69 respondents was 63 years; 59.4% of the respondents were men. Nine patients who did not read the booklet showed high fatigue and cognitive plight and low QOL. The patients (36.2%) who chose “I vaguely understood the content” showed low scores for resilience and cognitive plight while those (8.5%) who chose “I will deal with my tasks as described in the scenarios” showed high scores for both of these variables.

Conclusions:

The condition of some patients continued to be highly affected by their cancer. In terms of understanding the contents of the booklet, resilience was significant, and cognitive plight did not necessarily have a negative impact. The provision of information by means of a booklet might not be suitable for patients who are highly affected by their cancer. Patients may need additional support to be able to make good use of the information provided in such a booklet.

Parental Decision Making Regarding the Disclosure or Nondisclosure of a Mutation-Positive BRCA1/2 Test Result to Minors

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To gain insight into parental decision making regarding the disclosure or nondisclosure of a mutation-positive BRCA1/2 test result to minors.
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RESEARCH APPROACH

A qualitative study based on Heidegger hermeneutic phenomenology was undertaken to explore the lived experience of parental decision making regarding high-risk BRCA1/2 disclosure.
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SETTING

The study's recruitment site was a western Canadian hereditary breast and ovarian cancer clinic.
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PARTICIPANTS

Fifteen female mutation-positive BRCA1/2 carriers who had at least one child aged 6-18 years.
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METHODOLOGIC APPROACH

The use of a demographic questionnaire, semistructured interviews, and conversation summaries were employed to gain an understanding of participants' lived experience. van Manen's selective approach was used to conduct a thematic analysis.
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FINDINGS

Collectively, parents wanted clinicians to discuss implications of disclosing and not disclosing a mutation-positive BRCA1/2 test result to minors in greater detail. The findings were categorized under the following emergent themes.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants' stories identified the need for auxiliary support pertaining to the decision-making process and suggested ways in which parental support may be coordinated.
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INTERPRETATION

Oncology nurses with advanced genetics training should assist mutation-positive BRCA1/2 carriers in meeting their genetic risk information needs; this requires nurses to stay informed about a multitude of issues that affect this population of patients.

Active patient participation in the development of an online intervention

Background

An important and challenging part of living with cancer relates to the repeated visits to the hospital. Since how patients cope between these post-diagnostic visits depends partly on the information and support received from their physician during the visits, it is important to make the most of them. Recent findings reinforce the importance of training not only the health care professionals in communication skills, but providing patients with support in communication as well. Delivering such supportive interventions online can have potential benefits in terms of accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and ability to tailor information to personal needs. However, problems with attrition (dropout, non-usage) during the test phase and poor uptake after implementation are frequently reported. The marginal level of engagement of the patient as end user seems to play a role in this. Therefore, recent research suggests integrating theory-based development methods with methods that promote involvement of the patient at an early stage. This paper describes a participatory protocol, used to let patients guide a theory-informed development process.

Objective

The objective of this project was to apply a bottom-up inspired procedure to develop a patient-centered intervention with corresponding evaluation and implementation plan.

Methods

The applied development protocol was based on the intervention mapping framework, combined with patient participatory methods that were inspired by the participation ladder and user-centred design methods.

Results

The applied protocol led to a self-directed online communication intervention aimed at helping patients gain control during their communications with health care professionals. It also led to an evaluation plan and an implementation plan. The protocol enabled the continuous involvement of patient research partners and the partial involvement of patient service users, which led to valuable insights and improvements.

Conclusions

The applied protocol realized patient participation on different levels throughout the entire project. Early involvement, involvement on different levels, and flexibility in terms of planning and setup seem to be preconditions to creating a bottom-up inspired development procedure with (seriously ill) patients. Further research is necessary to find out if a more patient-centered approach improves the implementation and uptake of eHealth interventions.

Trial Registration

Netherlands National Trial Register ID number: NTR3779; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3779 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6TdfALKxV).

Providing recording of clinical consultation to patients - a highly valued but underutilized intervention: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The benefits of providing patients with recorded clinical consultations have been mostly investigated in oncology settings, generally demonstrating positive outcomes. There has been limited synthesis of evidence about the practice in wider context. Our aim was to summarize, in a scoping review, the evidence about providing consultation recordings to patients.

METHODS

We searched seven literature databases. Full text articles meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved and reviewed. Arksey and O'Malley's framework for scoping studies guided the review process and thematic analysis was undertaken to synthesize extracted data.

RESULTS

Of 5492 abstracts, 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Between 53.6% and 100% (72% weighted average) of patients listened to recorded consultations. In 60% of reviewed studies patients shared the audio-recordings with others. Six themes identified in the study provided evidence for enhanced information recall and understanding by patients, and positive reactions to receiving recorded consultations. There has been limited investigation into the views of providers and organizations. Medico-legal concerns have been reported.

CONCLUSION

Patients place a high value on receiving audio-recordings of clinical consultations and majority benefit from listening to consultation recordings.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Further investigation of the ethical, practical and medico-legal implications of routinely providing recorded consultations is needed.

Decisional control preferences, disclosure of information preferences, and satisfaction among Hispanic patients with advanced cancer

CONTEXT

Studies to determine the decisional control preferences (DCPs) in Hispanic patients receiving palliative care are limited.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to describe DCPs, disclosure of information, and satisfaction with decision making among Hispanics and to determine the degree of concordance between patients' DCPs and their self-reported decisions.

METHODS

We surveyed 387 cancer patients referred to outpatient palliative care clinics in Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and the U.S. DCPs were measured with the Control Preference Scale, disclosure preferences with the Disclosure of Information Preferences questionnaire, and satisfaction with care with the Satisfaction with Decision Scale.

RESULTS

In this study, 182 patients (47.6%) preferred shared decisional control, 119 (31.2%) preferred active decisional control, and 81 (21.2%) preferred a passive approach. Concerning their diagnosis and prognosis, 345 (92%) patients wanted to know their diagnosis, and 355 (94%) wanted to know their prognosis. Three hundred thirty-seven (87%) patients were satisfied with the decision-making process. DCPs were concordant with the self-reported decision-making process in 264 (69%) patients (weighted kappa = 0.55). Patients' greater satisfaction with the decision-making process was correlated with older age (P ≤ 0.001) and with a preference for enhanced diagnostic disclosure (P ≤ 0.024). Satisfaction did not correlate with concordance in the decision-making process.

CONCLUSION

The vast majority preferred a shared or active decision-making process and wanted information about their diagnosis and prognosis. Older patients and those who wanted to know their diagnosis seemed to be more satisfied with the way treatment decisions were made.

Do patients use decision and communication aids as prompted when meeting with breast cancer specialists?

BACKGROUND

Our breast cancer clinic promotes patient use of decision and communication aids (DAs/CAs) through two mechanisms: coaching and prompting. From January through September 2010, we provided services to 462 of 1106 new visitors (42%). Of those 462 visitors, 267 (58%) received coaching. For the remainder (195 or 42%), the best we could do was prompt them to self-administer the DA and CAs.

OBJECTIVE

We wanted to learn whether patients prompted to use DAs/CAs did so.

METHODS

We surveyed prompted patients after their visits. We asked how much of each DA they reviewed, whether they listed questions, made notes and audio-recorded their consultations. We tallied frequencies and explored associations using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the 195 prompted patients, 82 responded to surveys (42%). Nearly all (66/73 or 90%) reported reviewing some or all of the booklets and 52/73 (71%) reported viewing some or all of the DVDs. While 63/78 (81%) responded that they wrote a question list, only 14/61 (23%) said they showed it to their doctor. Two-thirds (51/77 or 66%) said someone took notes, but only 16/79 (20%) reported making audio recordings.

DISCUSSION

More patients reported following prompts to use DAs than CAs. Few reported showing question lists to physicians or recording their visits. Our exploratory analyses surfaced associations between using CAs and race/ethnicity or education that merit further investigation.

CONCLUSION

Prompting patients assures better use of decision than communication aids. Clinicians may need to take a more active role to ensure patients receive adequate notes and recordings.