Training health professionals in shared decision-making: An international environmental scan

Légaré, France; Politi, Mary C.; Drolet, Renée; Desroches, Sophie; Stacey, Dawn; Bekker, Hilary; the SDM-CPD team,

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2012.01.002

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Training health professionals in shared decision-making: An international environmental scan

France Légaré
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Centre, Hospital St-François D’Assise, Québec, QC, Canada
- Corresponding author at: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Centre, Hospital St-François D’Assise, Knowledge Transfer and Health Technology Assessment Research Group, 10 Espinay, Québec, QC G1L 3L5, Canada. Tel.: +1 418 525 4437; fax: +1 418 525 4194.
Mary C. Politi
- Health Communication Research Laboratory, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St-Louis, MO, USA
Renée Drolet
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Centre, Hospital St-François D’Assise, Québec, QC, Canada
Sophie Desroches
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec Research Centre, Hospital St-François D’Assise, Québec, QC, Canada
Dawn Stacey
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Hilary Bekker
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
the SDM-CPD team
- See Appendix A.

Received 17 September 2011; received in revised form 6 January 2012; accepted 9 January 2012. published online 03 February 2012.
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Abstract

Objective

To identify and analyze training programs in shared decision-making (SDM) for health professionals.

Methods

We conducted an environmental scan looking for programs that train health professionals in SDM. Pairs of reviewers independently analyzed the programs identified using a standardized data extraction sheet. The developers of the programs validated the data extracted.

Results

We identified 54 programs conducted between 1996 and 2011 in 14 countries and 10 languages. Thirty-four programs targeted licensed health professionals, 10 targeted pre-licensure health professionals, and 10 targeted both. Most targeted only the medical profession (n=32); six targeted more than one health profession. The five most frequently mentioned teaching methods were case-based discussion, small group educational session, role play, printed educational material, and audit and feedback. Thirty-six programs reported having evaluated their impacts but evaluation data was available only for 17.

Conclusions

Health professional training programs in SDM vary widely in how and what they deliver, and evidence of their effectiveness is sparse.

Practice implications

This study suggests there is a need for international consensus on ways to address the variability in SDM training programs. We need agreed criteria for certifying the programs and for determining the most effective types of training.

Keywords: Shared decision making, Training, Implementation, Patient centered care, Environmental scan