Barriers and Facilitators Affecting Implementation of a Clinical Decision aid for the Diagnosis of Acute Aortic Syndrome: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) is an uncommon, life-threatening emergency that is frequently misdiagnosed. The Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis of AAS were developed to improve patient outcomes and include a clinical decision aid designed to facilitate clinician decision-making. The objective of this study was to prospectively identify barriers and facilitators among physicians prior to implementation of the decision aid.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with emergency room physicians working at five sites distributed between urban academic and rural settings. We used purposive sampling, contacting physicians until data saturation was reached. Interview questions were designed to understand potential barriers and facilitators to decision aid uptake and use. Responses were analysed according to the Theoretical Domains Framework, and overarching themes describing these barriers and facilitators were identified. Results: A majority of interviewees anticipated that the decision aid would support clinical decision making and risk stratification. Potential facilitators identified included guideline validation and publication and endorsement by peers. Barriers to implementation and application of the aid included the fact that the use of D-dimer and knowledge of the rationale for its use in the investigation of AAS were not widespread. The complexity of the decision aid and insufficient specificity of D-dimer were also identified as potential barriers to use. Conclusion: Physicians were amenable to using the AAS decision aid to support clinical decision-making and to reduce resource use. The barriers identified should be addressed prior to implementation in order to support decision aid uptake and use.