Article
Consumer and Patient Engagement in Developing Clinical Guideline Support Tools
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Published: | July 10, 2012 |
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Outline
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Background: This work addresses challenges organizations face in utilizing consumers/patients in developing clinical practice guideline (CPG) patient-support tools for preventive care. We discuss consumer recruitment, topic identification, culturally relevant tool development, implementation and follow-up.
Objectives: Address high-priority topics identified from survey results; Create support tools that are culturally sensitive, informative and actionable; Empower consumers/patients to discuss screening options with health care providers.
Methods: We examine the role of consumer/public engagement in developing CPG support tools. Survey results elicited topics and outcomes important to consumers/patients for inclusion in developing consumer-directed tools reflective of an otherwise clinician-directed guideline. Cultural sensitivities and preferences were elicited and incorporated in tool development.
Results: Through health topic selection, barrier identification and tool development, long term results and post focus-group follow-up survey address tool effectiveness in preventive care awareness and potential closure of care gaps.
Discussion: Processes include selecting an existing high quality evidence based CPG focusing on disease prevention and screening. Through consumer/patient participation these tools assist consumers in being informed and more directly involved in health care choices. Additionally, by identifying cultural sensitivities while developing these tools, consumer/patient input will help ensure addressing specific preferences and needs. A secondary long term outcome includes possible closure of care gaps where cultural disparities are greatest
Implications for guideline developers/users: This process may serve as an alternative for resource constrained health care organizations who use preexisting clinical guidelines and who understand the value of incorporating consumer/patient perspective in developing tools to support their healthcare decisions.