Identifying Patient Characteristics Associated With Deficits in Surgical Decision Making

Shared Decision Making for Elective Surgical Procedures in Older Adults with and without Cognitive Insufficiencies

PURPOSE

Older adults are prone to cognitive impairment, which may affect their ability to engage in aspects of shared decision making (SDM) and their ability to complete surveys about the SDM process. This study examined the surgical decision-making processes of older adults with and without cognitive insufficiencies and evaluated the psychometric properties of the SDM Process scale.

METHODS

Eligible patients were 65 y or older and scheduled for a preoperative appointment before elective surgery (e.g., arthroplasty). One week before the visit, staff contacted patients via phone to administer the baseline survey, including the SDM Process scale (range 0-4), SURE scale (top scored), and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test version 8.1 BLIND English (MoCA-blind; score range 0-22; scores < 19 indicate cognitive insufficiency). Patients completed a follow-up survey 3 mo after their visit to assess decision regret (top scored) and retest reliability for the SDM Process scale.

RESULTS

Twenty-six percent (127/488) of eligible patients completed the survey; 121 were included in the analytic data set, and 85 provided sufficient follow-up data. Forty percent of patients (n = 49/121) had MoCA-blind scores indicating cognitive insufficiencies. Overall SDM Process scores did not differ by cognitive status (intact cognition x ¯  = 2.5, s = 1.0 v. cognitive insufficiencies x ¯  = 2.5, s = 1.0; P = 0.80). SURE top scores were similar across groups (83% intact cognition v. 90% cognitive insufficiencies; P = 0.43). While patients with intact cognition had less regret, the difference was not statistically significant (92% intact cognition v. 79% cognitive insufficiencies; P = 0.10). SDM Process scores had low missing data and good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.7).

CONCLUSIONS

Reported SDM, decisional conflict, and decision regret did not differ significantly for patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies. The SDM Process scale was an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure of SDM in patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies.

HIGHLIGHTS

Forty percent of patients 65 y or older who were scheduled for elective surgery had scores indicative of cognitive insufficiencies.Patient-reported shared decision making, decisional conflict, and decision regret did not differ significantly for patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies.The Shared Decision Making Process scale was an acceptable, reliable, and valid measure of shared decision making in patients with and without cognitive insufficiencies.

Decision Considerations and Strategies for Lip Surgery in Patients with Cleft lip/Palate: A Qualitative Study

Objective

To qualitatively assess surgeons decision making for lip surgery in patients with cleft lip/palate (CL/P).

Design

Prospective, non-randomized, clinical trial.

Setting

Clinical data institutional laboratory setting.

Patients Participants

The study included both patient and surgeon participants recruited from four craniofacial centers. The patient participants were babies with a CL/P requiring primary lip repair surgery (n=16) and adolescents with repaired CL/P who may require secondary lip revision surgery (n=32). The surgeon participants (n=8) were experienced in cleft care. Facial imaging data that included 2D images, 3D images, videos, and objective 3D visual modelling of facial movements were collected from each patient, and compiled as a collage termed the Standardized Assessment for Facial Surgery (SAFS) for systematic viewing by the surgeons.

Interventions

The SAFS served as the intervention. Each surgeon viewed the SAFS for six distinct patients (two babies and four adolescents) and provided a list of surgical problems and goals. Then an in-depth-interview (IDI) was conducted with each surgeon to explore their decision-making processes. IDIs were conducted either in person or virtually, recorded, and then transcribed for qualitative statistical analyses using the Grounded Theory Method.

Results

Rich narratives/themes emerged that included timing of the surgery; risks/limitations and benefits of surgery; patient/family goals; planning for muscle repair and scarring; multiplicity of surgeries and their impact; and availability of resources. For diagnoses/treatments, surgeons agreed, and level of surgical experience was not a factor.

Conclusions

The themes provided important information to populate a checklist of considerations to serve as a guide for clinicians.

Shared Decision Making in the Geriatric Surgery Verification Program: Assessing Baseline Performance

CONTEXT

As part of the launch of the Geriatric Surgery Verification program in 2019, the American College of Surgeons issued care standards for older patients, including requirements for preoperative documentation of patients' goals. Hospital performance on these standards prior to the Geriatric Surgery Verification program is unknown.

OBJECTIVES

To assess baseline performance of the Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) standard for documentation of preoperative goals for older patients, and to determine factors associated with standard adherence.

METHODS

Using natural language processing, this study examines the electronic health records of patients aged 65 years or older who underwent coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) or colectomies in 2017 or 2018 at three hospitals. The primary outcome was adherence to at least one of the three components of GSV Standard 5.1, which requires preoperative documentation of overall health goals, treatment goals, and patient-centered outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 2630 operations and 2563 patients were included. At least one component of the standard was met in 307 (11.7%) operations and all three components were met in 5 (0.2%). Higher likelihood of meeting the standard was demonstrated for patients who were female (odds ratio [OR] 1.30; 95% CI 1.00-1.68), undergoing colectomy (OR 2.82; 95% CI 2.15-3.72), or with more comorbidities (Charlson scores >3 [OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.14-2.09]).

CONCLUSION

Before GSV program implementation, clinicians for two major operations almost never met the GSV standard for preoperative discussion of patient goals. Interdisciplinary teams will need to adjust clinical practice to meet best-practice communication standards for older patients.

Shared decision making in surgery: A scoping review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Shared decision making (SDM) has been increasingly implemented to improve health-care outcomes. Despite the mixed efficacy of SDM to provide better patient-guided care, its use in surgery has not been studied. The aim of this study was to systematically review SDM application in surgery.

DESIGN

The search strategy, developed with a medical librarian, included nine databases from inception until June 2019. After a 2-person title and abstract screen, full-text publications were analysed. Data collected included author, year, surgical discipline, location, study duration, type of decision aid, survey methodology and variable outcomes. Quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional studies, as well as RCTs, were included.

RESULTS

A total of 6060 studies were retrieved. A total of 148 were included in the final review. The majority of the studies were in plastic surgery, followed by general surgery and orthopaedics. The use of SDM decreased surgical intervention rate (12 of 22), decisional conflict (25 of 29), and decisional regret (5 of 5), and increased decisional satisfaction (17 of 21), knowledge (33 of 35), SDM preference (13 of 16), and physician trust (4 of 6). Time increase per patient encounter was inconclusive. Cross-sectional studies showed that patients prefer shared treatment and surgical treatment varied less. The results of SDM per type of decision aid vary in terms of their outcome.

CONCLUSION

SDM in surgery decreases decisional conflict, anxiety and surgical intervention rates, while increasing knowledge retained decisional satisfaction, quality and physician trust. Surgical patients also appear to prefer SDM paradigms. SDM appears beneficial in surgery and therefore worth promoting and expanding in use.

Shared perioperative decision making: a shift in the doctor-patient paradigm

The high-risk surgical patient only constitutes approximately 4% of the elective non-cardiac surgical population but contributes to the vast majority of in-hospital deaths following surgery. This, in conjunction with a high morbidity rate, can lead to a perioperative pathway fraught with challenges. It is incredibly difficult to anticipate which complications may arise and the risks involved before surgery. It is for this reason that patients need to be engaged in the decision-making processes regarding their perioperative care involved before major surgery. A combination of good medical practice, medicolegal influences and a governmental drive have begun to result in a shift away from paternalistic medicine to a shared decision-making approach. This article defines shared decision making, explores its benefits and limitations and addresses the relevant legal literature.

Outcomes of emergency abdominal surgery in octogenarians: A single-center analysis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess outcomes of octogenarians undergoing emergency abdominal surgery (EAS).

METHODS

Octogenarians undergoing EAS 12/2011-12/2016 were retrospectively analysed. The outcomes were assessed by univariable and multivariable regression analysis.

RESULTS

One-hundred-forty patients with a median age of 83.9 years were included. EAS was performed for cholecystitis (27.1%), ileus (22.1%), hollow viscus perforation (16.4%), diverticulitis (12.9%), mesenteric ischemia (10.0%), incarcerated hernia (9.3%), and appendicitis (2.1%). The overall and early (within 7 days from surgery) mortality rate was 16.4% and 10.0%, respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed age (OR 1.24,CI95% 1.04-1.47,p = 0.015), ASA scores≥4 (OR 11.15,CI95% 2.39-52.02,p = 0.002), mesenteric ischemia (OR 52.60,CI95% 8.93-309.94,p < 0.001) and ICU admission (OR 9.23,CI95% 1.74-49.04,p = 0.009) as independent predictors for mortality. Postoperative withdrawal of care accounted for 36% of early mortalities.

CONCLUSIONS

One third of early mortality in octogenarians was due to postoperative withdrawal of care. An interdisciplinary decision-making including patients' and relatives' wishes may avoid ethically questionable interventions in octogenarians.

Creating a Pathway for Multidisciplinary Shared Decision-Making to Improve Communication During Preoperative Assessment

Shared decision-making (SDM) is essential for high-quality surgical care. Barriers to SDM exist in clinical practice but there is evidence these obstacles can be overcome. SDM requires clinician and patient engagement. Though patients may indicate understanding, deficits in decision making may persist based on language, age, or educational barriers. Multidisciplinary decision-making before surgery is an opportunity for anesthesiologists and other perioperative professionals to improve surgical care. The authors present an example of a successfully implemented pathway for high-risk surgical patients at a tertiary care center, leveraging the preoperative anesthesia evaluation.