Implementation of a Web-based Decision Aid for Breast Cancer Surgery

Routine incorporation of decision aids into oncology practice has the potential to significantly improve patients' experiences with cancer by increasing the likelihood that they make informed treatment decisions aligned with their values. Unfortunately, only a minority of the more than 1.6 million patients diagnosed annually with cancer ever receive one due to limited clinic resources for administration and challenges in timely identification of appropriate patients. Online delivery directly to patients addresses some of these barriers but is insufficient on its own to ensure accessibility for patients at the time they most benefit from support.19 It is critical that active, multi-faceted implementation strategies that target barriers to the widespread use of web-based decision aids be identified, as these tools have the potential to significantly improve the quality of oncologic care.

Based on strong preliminary work, the investigators have developed and piloted a package of implementation strategies that effectively overcomes barriers to delivery of a web-based breast cancer surgery decision aid in an academic and community clinic. Although the strategy was successful, patients were white and educated; further investigation is imperative in settings that provide care to underserved patients to ensure the intervention will mitigate, rather than worsen, existing disparities in breast cancer care. This is especially critical given that underserved patients may benefit most from shared decision-making interventions such as the one described. To study this, the investigators propose a pilot study within a clinic that serves a catchment area with a high proportion of African American, rural and low income patients. The investigators will iteratively assess and enhance our implementation package using concepts outlined in the Knowledge-to-Action Cycle, which emphasizes local context in balancing fidelity and flexibility. The specific aims are: 1) To identify patient and clinic level barriers to implementation of a web-based breast cancer surgery decision aid in a clinic that cares for underserved patients, and 2) To test and expand our current implementation package's ability to address barriers in a clinic that cares for underserved patients. The investigators will determine the reach of implementation and acceptability of this method of decision aid delivery to stakeholders.