Informed Choice Through the Utilization of Patient Decision Aids (PDAs)

Saturday, June 11, 2022

1:20pm - 2:20pm ET

When carried out effectively, the informed consent process provides patients with the information they need empowering them to make appropriate decisions about their health. Minimally invasive image-guided procedures (MIIPs) provide alternatives to surgery and other therapies for a wide range of diseases and offer a faster recovery with fewer side effects or risks. Many people do not know about their MIIPs options, even if one could save their life. Often, the discussions that take place overwhelm patients as they may have a limited understanding of anatomy and physiology and struggle to understand medical jargon. Health literacy is not always taken into consideration as clinicians typically engage in these discussions above the 6^th to 8^th grade health literacy level undermining patient autonomy and trust. Non-English speaking patients, especially those with limited education and social support are at a further disadvantage. Therapeutic preferences and clinician bias contribute to a lack in uniformity and therefore therapeutic options given to one patient may never be offered to another. The Interventional Initiative www.theii.org was founded to educate and engage the public about minimally invasive, image-guided procedures (MIIPs). This presentation will discuss the opportunity to improve the informed consent process for Interventional Radiology procedures through the implementation of bilingual, plain language Patient Decision Aids (PDAs).

Margaret Doherty-Simor, RN, MSN, BSN

Treasurer, Board Member

The Interventional Initiative

Margaret Simor has a BS in Nursing from the University of San Francisco and a MS in Nursing administration from CSU Dominguez Hills. A former interventional radiology nurse with over 35 years experience in the field of minimally invasive image-guided procedures, Margaret began her career in IR at UCSF where she worked as a procedure room nurse, clinical research coordinator and nurse manager. Prior to retiring, Margaret was the Director of Cardiovascular Service Line Clinical Operations and Clinical Projects for John Muir Health in the east bay of San Francisco where she oversaw Interventional Radiology, Cardiac Cath, Non-Invasive Cardiology, Cardiac Rehab and Cardiac Surgery. She has authored and co-authored healthcare articles in the area of Interventional Radiology and Radiology Nursing and has written chapters for Radiology Nursing Core-Curriculum and an Advanced Practice and Leadership in Radiology Nursing textbooks.

She is a board member and treasurer of the Interventional Initiative, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public about the value of minimally invasive image-guided procedures (MIIPs) using public-centric multimedia production and social media initiatives. (www.theii.org) She served as an executive producer for the docuseries Without a Scalpel, oversaw the production of theii’s white-board animation instructional videos and is now actively involved with the Patient Decision Aid project. She serves on the University of San Francisco Board of Trustees and is a current member of the USF Alumni Board, USF School of Nursing and Health Professions Alumni Advisory Board and is immediate past-chair of the USF Women in Leadership & Philanthropy Board. Margaret also a Director on the John Muir Health Foundation Board.