Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study
Abstract Background High-risk patients presenting for surgery require complex decision-making and perioperative management. However, given there is no gold standard for identifying high-risk patients, doing so may be challenging for clinicians in practice. Before a gold standard can be established,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Health Services Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05316-0 |
| _version_ | 1818486917830803456 |
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| author | Amanda Selwood Brette Blakely Siva Senthuran Paul Lane John North Robyn Clay-Williams |
| author_facet | Amanda Selwood Brette Blakely Siva Senthuran Paul Lane John North Robyn Clay-Williams |
| author_sort | Amanda Selwood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background High-risk patients presenting for surgery require complex decision-making and perioperative management. However, given there is no gold standard for identifying high-risk patients, doing so may be challenging for clinicians in practice. Before a gold standard can be established, the state of current practice must be determined. This study aimed to understand how working clinicians define and identify high-risk surgical patients. Methods Clinicians involved in the care of high-risk surgical patients at a public hospital in regional Australia were interviewed as part of an ongoing study evaluating a new shared decision-making process for high-risk patients. The new process, Patient-Centred Advanced Care Planning (PC-ACP) engages patients, families, and clinicians from all relevant specialties in shared decision-making in line with the patient’s goals and values. The semi-structured interviews were conducted before the implementation of the new process and were coded using a modified form of the ‘constant comparative method’ to reveal key themes. Themes concerning patient risk, clinician’s understanding of high risk, and methods for identifying high-risk surgical patients were extricated for close examination. Results Thirteen staff involved in high-risk surgery at the hospital at which PC-ACP was to be implemented were interviewed. Analysis revealed six sub-themes within the major theme of factors related to patient risk: (1) increase in high-risk patients, (2) recognising frailty, (3) risk-benefit balance, (4) suitability and readiness for surgery, (5) avoiding negative outcomes, and (6) methods in use for identifying high-risk patients. There was considerable variability in clinicians’ methods of identifying high-risk patients and regarding their definition of high risk. This variability occurred even among clinicians within the same disciplines and specialties. Conclusions Although clinicians were confident in their own ability to identify high-risk patients, they acknowledged limitations in recognising frail, high-risk patients and predicting and articulating possible outcomes when consenting these patients. Importantly, little consistency in clinicians’ reported methods for identifying high-risk patients was found. Consensus regarding the definition of high-risk surgical patients is necessary to ensure rigorous decision-making. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:29:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4549cb7a10245b69c5594a5081cda44 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T16:29:37Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4549cb7a10245b69c5594a5081cda442022-12-22T01:41:34ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632020-05-0120111110.1186/s12913-020-05316-0Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative studyAmanda Selwood0Brette Blakely1Siva Senthuran2Paul Lane3John North4Robyn Clay-Williams5Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie UniversityCentre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie UniversityTownsville Hospital and Health ServiceTownsville Hospital and Health ServicePrincess Alexandra HospitalCentre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie UniversityAbstract Background High-risk patients presenting for surgery require complex decision-making and perioperative management. However, given there is no gold standard for identifying high-risk patients, doing so may be challenging for clinicians in practice. Before a gold standard can be established, the state of current practice must be determined. This study aimed to understand how working clinicians define and identify high-risk surgical patients. Methods Clinicians involved in the care of high-risk surgical patients at a public hospital in regional Australia were interviewed as part of an ongoing study evaluating a new shared decision-making process for high-risk patients. The new process, Patient-Centred Advanced Care Planning (PC-ACP) engages patients, families, and clinicians from all relevant specialties in shared decision-making in line with the patient’s goals and values. The semi-structured interviews were conducted before the implementation of the new process and were coded using a modified form of the ‘constant comparative method’ to reveal key themes. Themes concerning patient risk, clinician’s understanding of high risk, and methods for identifying high-risk surgical patients were extricated for close examination. Results Thirteen staff involved in high-risk surgery at the hospital at which PC-ACP was to be implemented were interviewed. Analysis revealed six sub-themes within the major theme of factors related to patient risk: (1) increase in high-risk patients, (2) recognising frailty, (3) risk-benefit balance, (4) suitability and readiness for surgery, (5) avoiding negative outcomes, and (6) methods in use for identifying high-risk patients. There was considerable variability in clinicians’ methods of identifying high-risk patients and regarding their definition of high risk. This variability occurred even among clinicians within the same disciplines and specialties. Conclusions Although clinicians were confident in their own ability to identify high-risk patients, they acknowledged limitations in recognising frail, high-risk patients and predicting and articulating possible outcomes when consenting these patients. Importantly, little consistency in clinicians’ reported methods for identifying high-risk patients was found. Consensus regarding the definition of high-risk surgical patients is necessary to ensure rigorous decision-making.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05316-0SurgeryHigh-risk patientsFrailtyQualitative researchPatient riskShared decision-making |
| spellingShingle | Amanda Selwood Brette Blakely Siva Senthuran Paul Lane John North Robyn Clay-Williams Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study BMC Health Services Research Surgery High-risk patients Frailty Qualitative research Patient risk Shared decision-making |
| title | Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Variability in clinicians’ understanding and reported methods of identifying high-risk surgical patients: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | variability in clinicians understanding and reported methods of identifying high risk surgical patients a qualitative study |
| topic | Surgery High-risk patients Frailty Qualitative research Patient risk Shared decision-making |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-020-05316-0 |
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