The following is a summary of “Development of a patient decision aid for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a patient-centered approach,” published in the March 2025 issue of BMC Primary Care by Tichler et al. 

Patient decision aids (PDAs) support shared decision-making (SDM) between patients and healthcare professionals. The International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) model guides PDA development, though uncertainties remain about identifying the needs and preferences of users. 

Researchers conducted a prospective study to detail the development process of a PDA for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using the IPDAS model. 

They systematically developed the PDA for T2DM in the Netherlands from September 2020 to February 2023. They adopted a patient-centered approach by researching patient considerations and collaborating with a multidisciplinary steering group, including patients with T2DM, patient organizations, and healthcare professionals. The PDA content and prototype development were based on patients’ needs, steering group input, and available evidence on T2DM treatment options. The research team and steering group iteratively reviewed the PDA prototype. 

The results showed a web-based PDA developed with five sections: information about T2DM and treatment options, a comparison of treatment options, questions to assess patients’ knowledge, a value-clarification exercise, and a summary of the patient’s journey. Healthcare professionals can preselect relevant treatment options before patients use the PDA. 

Investigators ensured early and iterative involvement of relevant stakeholders, aligning the PDA with the needs and preferences of diverse end-users. A future study will investigate the PDA’s effectiveness in facilitating SDM in T2DM care. 

Source: bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12875-025-02772-7