Developing a Collaborative Agenda-Setting Intervention (CASI) to promote patient-centered communication in ovarian cancer care: A design thinking approach

Abstract

Objectives: Patient-centered communication (PCC) occurs when clinicians respond to patients' needs, preferences, and concerns. While PCC is associated with better health-related quality of life in patients with cancer, patients with ovarian cancer have reported unmet communication needs. We used design thinking to develop an intervention to promote PCC in ovarian cancer care.

Methods: Following the steps of design thinking, we empathized with stakeholders by reviewing the literature, then created stakeholder and journey maps to define the design challenge. To ideate solutions, we developed a challenge map. Finally, we developed wireframe prototypes and tested them with stakeholders.

Results: Empathizing revealed that misaligned visit priorities precipitated suboptimal communication. Defining the design challenge and ideating solutions highlighted the need to normalize preference assessments, promote communication self-efficacy, and enhance visit efficiency. The Collaborative Agenda-Setting Intervention (CASI) elicits patients' needs and preferences and delivers communication guidance at the point of care. Stakeholders approved of the prototype.

Conclusion: Design thinking provided a systematic approach to empathizing with stakeholders, identifying challenges, and innovating solutions.

Practice implications: To our knowledge, the CASI is the first intervention to set the visit agenda and support communication from within the electronic health record. Future research will assess its usability and acceptability.

Keywords: Communication; Electronic health records; Ovarian neoplasms; Physician-patient relations.