Healthcare professionals' views on factors influencing shared decision‐making in primary health care centres in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective To describe the perspectives of healthcare professionals regarding the implementation of Shared decision‐making (SDM) in primary healthcare centres (PHCCs) in Saudi Arabia. Methods Qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a purposive and snowball sample of healthcare professionals in PHCCs. Interviews have been recorded, transcribed, translated and thematically analysed. Themes were mapped to the COM‐B model. Results Sixteen healthcare professionals were interviewed. The data analysis identified six themes and 14 sub‐themes. The six themes are patient related factors, health professional related factors, environmental context and resources, patient–physician communication, patient–physician preferences toward SDM and physicians' perceived value and benefits of SDM. Physicians are unlikely to practice SDM in the context of time pressures, shortage of physicians, lack of treatment options, and decision‐making aids. The findings also underscored the importance of building a trustworthy physician‐patient relationship through the use of effective conversation techniques. Conclusions There are multiple barriers to SDM in primary care. Unless these barriers are addressed, it is unlikely that physicians will effectively or fully engage in SDM with patients.

Determining the Development Strategy and Suited Adoption Paths for the Core Competence of Shared Decision-Making Tasks through the SAA-NRM Approach

“…Health professionals must be encouraged to plan regular training in their use of SDM and to comprehend the importance of building trusting relationships with patients. Qualifying the clinician-patient relationship is critical to implementing SDM, so physicians should communicate effectively [ 87 , 88 ]. Verbal and non-verbal behavior and teach-back techniques were related to more patient-centered communication [ 37 , 49 , 53 ].…”

Understanding person‐centered care within a complex social context: A qualitative study of Saudi Arabian acute care nursing

“…Sharp et al (2018) observed that in organizations where speed and efficiency are highly prized, nurses tend to focus on task completion rather than holistic care, even after expressing values aligned with a person‐centered approach. In several non‐Western settings, researchers have raised questions about the cultural applicability of various aspects of person‐centered care, such as patient participation in decision‐making, noting that core elements of the concept were developed within Western contexts (Alkhaibari et al, 2023; Alsulamy et al, 2021; Khuan & Juni, 2017; Lateef & Mhlongo, 2022). Implementation of person‐centered care has been found to vary based on a wide range of factors, including the age, education, motivation, and professional outlook of care providers; the gender, level of health literacy, and social support accessible to patients; and the patterns of workload, resource availability, and management styles within organizations (Alhalal et al, 2020; Alkhaibari et al, 2023; Al‐Surimi et al, 2021; Avci & Alp Yilmaz, 2021).…”

Key Factors Relevant for Healthcare Decisions of Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Secondary Care According to Healthcare Professionals

“…Most research has been focused on factors that influence decisions made by healthcare professionals alone or the role of the clinical environment in which the decision making process takes place. [24][25][26] There is one open ended interview assessing which factors drive patients' healthcare decisions in which the researchers found that, according to healthcare professionals, healthcare…”