Hospital Studies Blows Apparent Hole in Concept of Shared Decision Making Reducing Costs

---Terri Bernacchi, PharmD, MBA,  Cambria Health Advisory Professionals, Senior Partner at Valiant Health, Managing Partner at Quo Magis Partners

Answering an important question, “Does “SDM” (shared decision making) reduce cost?” was the focus of a study published by JAMA (see link below) that utilized a survey given to ~20,000 inpatients over 8 years at a single institution.  They concluded that while the classic SDM concept that engaging patients in their care can help control costs and reduce utilization, SDM can actually increase lengths of stay and inpatient spending.  Patients were asked to rank a preference for the statement, “I prefer to leave decisions about my care up to my doctor”.  Investigators drew inferences from this as to their interest in SDM and specifically reviewed an inpatient setting.  The survey data were linked with administrative data to find conclusive results.

They found that Length of Stay was longer (by 5%) and incurred cost was higher (by 6% or about $865) for people that were more inclined to want to be involved in their decision making process. One of the primary co-authors, Dr. David Melzer has been quoted by Modern Healthcare as attributing some of the lack of cost reduction to the fact that prospective payments in hospital environments already incentivize more careful resource use, and that SDM could actually increase costs. 

But not so fast here.  I think there may be a larger concern: conclusions about attitudes toward SDM using a generic question at the exact time a person is in an inpatient hospital setting is the exact wrong time to evaluate SDM.  The principles of SDM involve the patient as an equal in the process----much has been written in the literature about the power dynamic / power imbalance between doctor and patient.  This is the wrong time and the wrong way to measure its effectiveness. 

In the Modern Healthcare article (requires a subscription) Melzer goes on to muse that SDM should not be thought of within a framework of cost-control, which I agree with.  If the principles of SDM get misrepresented as one more way to ration resources or cut costs at the patient’s own expense, there will be no basis for trust (an essential ingredient in real SDM).  SDM will fail.  

(Link takes you to an abstract and not the full article:  http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1691765 )

I wonder what a patient would think about whether or not their doctor would see any survey response that indicates they prefer NOT to leave decisions about their care to the Doctor.  In the inpatient setting, someone is making almost all decisions for you---from how much you can eat or drink to what tests are going to be done and when you can go home. 

The problem lies not with posing the question but with the way in which it was measured and the environment in which it was measured.  Better yet to have asked more nuanced questions BEFORE hospitalization ever occurs and gauge the avoidance of hospitalization and other procedures (and the associated cost savings) rather than the methodology of asking a patient at his /her most vulnerable time in the hospital. 

 Terri is a Senior Partner at Valiant Health, LLC, and founder of Cambria Health Advisory Professionals and a  Managing Partner at Quo Magis partners.  The thoughts put forth on these postings are not necessarily reflective of the views of her employers or clients nor other Valiant Health colleagues. Terri has had a varied career in health related settings including: 9 years in a clinical hospital pharmacy setting, 3 years as a pharmaceutical sales rep serving government, wholesaler, managed markets and traditional physician sales, 3 years working for the executive team of an integrated health system working with physician practices, 4 years as the director of pharmacy for a large BCBS plan, 12 years of experience as founder and primary servant of a health technology company which was sold to IMS Health in late 2007.  She has both a BS and a PharmD in Pharmacy and an MBA.Managing Partner at Quo Magis partners.  The thoughts put forth on these postings are not necessarily reflective of the views of her employers or clients nor other Valiant Health colleagues. Terri has had a varied career in health related settings including: 9 years in a clinical hospital pharmacy setting, 3 years as a pharmaceutical sales rep serving government, wholesaler, managed markets and traditional physician sales, 3 years working for the executive team of an integrated health system working with physician practices, 4 years as the director of pharmacy for a large BCBS plan, 12 years of experience as founder and primary servant of a health technology company which was sold to IMS Health in late 2007.  She has both a BS and a PharmD in Pharmacy and an MBA.
 

Shared Decision Making is the Key to Fixing Broken Health Care System

---Terri Bernacchi, PharmD, MBA,  Cambria Health Advisory Professionals, Senior Partner at Valiant Health, LLC & Managing Partner at Quo Magis Partners

Sometimes, it is just best to not “rephrase” or “critique” a perfectly honed message and to just let the message stand on its own merits.  I encourage you to read the linked article, slowly, and drink in the wisdom.  Note this is not about cost but about consequence and empowerment of the patient and family as equals in the health care process. 

• “One of the welcome shifts under way in medicine is the move towards “shared decision making,” where hubris and hierarchy give way to humility and equality. Part of a wider reshaping of the roles and responsibilities of patients and professionals, the shift is challenging the long held belief that doctors know best. Rather than experts who persuade, in the new model the professionals support people in making more informed decisions about their health. But what if we take this notion of a meeting of equals seriously? Could people help professionals to make more informed decisions?”

The author, Ray Moynihan, later in the piece cites the improvement that the patient gets from reassurances from a trusted doctor as he makes his decision.  One of the challenges in the current US healthcare system is the separation between the doctor and the patient in terms of who is going to decide what about the best course of action for any set of circumstances.  Clearly, the clinician is the expert but non-compliance with care is in the realm of 40 to 50%, so it is fair to say that person (often at his/her own hand) does not fully realize the benefits of the clinician’s expertise simply because they choose not to heed it. 

A frank and honest dialogue should begin with the very first meeting, where both the patient and the clinician set expectations and establish the rapport that becomes the basis for shared decision making.  One further complication to be discussed in future posts:  this takes TIME to do; under today’s health care reform environment, with pressures on reimbursements, it remains to be seen how this can occur unless the system will bear the cost burden associated with better dialogue.

Link:  http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f2789
 
Terri is a Senior Partner at Valiant Health, LLC, and founder of Cambria Health Advisory Professionals and a Managing Partner at Quo Magis partners.  The thoughts put forth on these postings are not necessarily reflective of the views of her employers or clients nor other Valiant Health colleagues. Terri has had a varied career in health related settings including: 9 years in a clinical hospital pharmacy setting, 3 years as a pharmaceutical sales rep serving government, wholesaler, managed markets and traditional physician sales, 3 years working for the executive team of an integrated health system working with physician practices, 4 years as the director of pharmacy for a large BCBS plan, 12 years of experience as founder and primary servant of a health technology company which was sold to IMS Health in late 2007.  She has both a BS and a PharmD in Pharmacy and an MBA.