What Researchers Did
Dutch researchers searched eight medical databases for studies that examined whether patients were involved in decisions about whether to undergo HBOT, a process called shared decision-making (SDM).
What They Found
Of 988 articles found, zero met the inclusion criteria, no published study had actually documented involving patients in HBOT decision-making. Six articles did mention that shared decision-making should be part of clinical guidelines for HBOT, but none had measured or reported it in practice. This is a significant gap given that HBOT is time-consuming, requires 20-40 sessions, and has high dropout rates.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadians considering HBOT, particularly for conditions like diabetic ulcers or radiation injury, are likely not being formally included in the decision-making process. Patients have the right to understand their options, what HBOT involves, its potential benefits and limits, and alternatives. Asking questions before committing to a multi-week treatment course is reasonable and encouraged.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The absence of studies may partly reflect that shared decision-making occurs in clinical practice but simply isn't being documented or published, rather than not occurring at all.