Training activity information
Details
Compare a decision support tool to a more traditional clinical decision-making approach, highlighting the benefits of the tool to clinicians and patients
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee​.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Considerations
- Clinical decision making
- Electronic data flows
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
- What factors might be important? What prior knowledge of both traditional clinical decision-making processes and the functionalities of decision support tools do you need before starting this comparison?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain about the advantages and disadvantages of using decision support tools versus traditional methods from the perspectives of both clinicians and patients? What is your current understanding of the strengths and limitations of different approaches to clinical decision-making?
- Have you discussed with your training officer which specific decision support tool and traditional approach you should compare? What difficulties might arise in objectively comparing these different approaches and identifying tangible benefits? How will you prepare for these? How do you feel about critically evaluating different methodologies used in healthcare?
In action
- As you make the comparison, what specific aspects of decision-making are you focusing on? What criteria are you using to highlight the benefits? Are these proving insightful?
- What decisions are you making about which decision support tool and traditional approach to compare? How are you structuring your comparison?
- Are you discovering unexpected benefits or drawbacks as you conduct the comparison? How are you adapting your analysis to incorporate these findings?
- Are certain aspects of the comparison (e.g., benefits to clinicians vs. patients) requiring different levels of conscious thought?
On action
- What were the key differences and similarities between the decision support tool and the traditional approach you compared? What specific benefits of the tool for clinicians and patients did you highlight?
- What new insights did you gain into the advantages and potential drawbacks of using decision support tools compared to traditional methods? How did your understanding of the benefits for different stakeholders evolve? Were there any unexpected benefits or limitations that emerged during your comparison? What did you learn from these findings? How did your chosen criteria for comparison shape your analysis of the benefits? Why is it important to critically compare decision support tools with existing practices?
- What other aspects could be considered when comparing decision support tools and traditional approaches? How will you approach future comparisons of healthcare technologies? What specific factors will you consider? What resources or frameworks could aid in conducting comprehensive comparisons of clinical decision-making methods?
Beyond action
- Have you revisited your comparison? Reflecting on your subsequent experiences with decision support tools and traditional methods, how do you now perceive the benefits and drawbacks of each?
- Have you directly observed the use of decision support tools and traditional approaches side-by-side? What did this comparison highlight in practice?
- Looking back at your reflections across the module, what broader understanding of the integration of technology and clinical judgment has emerged? What future areas will you explore?
- Have you discussed your comparison with clinicians who use both approaches? Did their insights challenge or reinforce your initial conclusions?
- How has this comparative exercise influenced your ability to critically evaluate the implementation of decision support tools in different clinical settings?
- How has your appreciation for the nuances of clinical decision-making, both with and without technological support, developed since this activity? How has your wider practice been affected?
- How might this experience contribute to your future involvement in evaluating the impact of decision support tools on clinical workflows and patient outcomes? What skills have you developed, and what further skills are required?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Describe the purpose and function of Decision Support Tools in healthcare. |
| # 2 |
Outcome
Appraise the risk and benefits of using Decision Support Tools in clinical practice. |