Designing for patient decision-making: Design challenges generated by patients with atrial fibrillation during evaluation of a decision aid prototype

Abstract

Shared decision-making (SDM) empowers patients and care teams to determine the best treatment plan in alignment with the patient's preferences and goals. Decision aids are proven tools to support high quality SDM. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, struggle to identify optimal rhythm and symptom management strategies and could benefit from a decision aid. In this Brief Research Report, we describe the development and preliminary evaluation of an interactive decision-making aid for patients with AF. We employed an iterative, user-centered design method to develop prototypes of the decision aid. Here, we describe multiple iterations of the decision aid, informed by the literature, expert feedback, and mixed-methods design sessions with AF patients. Results highlight unique design requirements for this population, but overall indicate that an interactive decision aid with visualizations has the potential to assist patients in making AF treatment decisions. Future work can build upon these design requirements to create and evaluate a decision aid for AF rhythm and symptom management.

Targeting behavioral factors with digital health and shared decision-making to promote cardiac rehabilitation—a narrative review

“…In particular, they expressed a need for structured, personalized information (45). Related work shows that the need for evidence and personalized, credible information is also present in cardiac patients (23,46). Sankaran et al (41) demonstrated how a single DHT can address these needs.…”

“…Patients are wellinformed about their options and able to actively participate in selecting treatment plans that align with their goals and values. The premise of practical use is that DHTs provide personal content tailored to individual factors, such as gender, age, level of knowledge, and diagnosis (23,46). Interventions should also respect patients' preferences regarding their degree of involvement in SDM and tailor the support accordingly.…”