This study investigates how clinicians form intuitive judgements about the prognoses of palliative care patients after receiving advice perceived as coming from either a team member or an algorithm.
Using the Judge-Advisor System, the investigators will recruit clinicians working in palliative care for adults. Participants will be asked to complete an online survey and review five patient summaries ("vignettes") based on real cases derived from a previous study. Clinicians will be presented with key prognostic information and will be asked to provide an estimate of the probability that the patient will survive for two weeks (0-100%). After providing this initial estimate, participants will receive prognostic advice. While in reality all participants will receive the same advice, participants will be randomised into two groups and these groups will be informed that the advice is either: (1) provided by an algorithm; or (2) provided by a team colleague. Participants will then be given the opportunity to give a second, possibly revised estimate in the light of the advice received.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
323
Participants were informed that prognostic advice came from the PiPS-B14 prognostic tool. PiPS-B14 is a validated prognostic algorithm that has been shown to be as accurate as an agreed multi-professional survival estimate. Participants were further informed that in a previous study the PiPS-B14 risk categories for predicting two-week survival were as accurate as a doctor's or a nurse's prediction.
Participants were informed that prognostic advice came from another clinician. Doctors were told that advice was from a nurse, whereas nurses or other types of HCPs were told that advice was from a doctor.
University College London
London, United Kingdom
Probability of survival estimate
Clinicians' estimates of the probability of a patient surviving for two weeks (0-100%)
Time frame: Participants will have up to 7 months (until the study closes) to provide an estimate for each vignette
Participants' weighting policies (characteristics of the participants)
Participants' responses to demographic questions
Time frame: Participants will have up to 7 months (until the study closes) to provide an estimate for each vignette
Participants' weighting policies (the advice itself)
Strength of the prognostic advice provided by the advisor (0-100%)
Time frame: Participants will have up to 7 months (until the study closes) to provide an estimate for each vignette
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