Design Thinking: An Interprofessional Method for Finding Comfort in the Discomfort Surrounding End-of-Life Conversations Between Providers and Patients

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new curriculum using design thinking to train physician assistants in having difficult end-of-life conversations with patients.

Contribution

The novel contribution is a design thinking-based curriculum for training PA students in end-of-life communication.

Findings

The curriculum addresses a gap in training for end-of-life conversations.

It aims to improve patient autonomy and provider confidence in care discussions.

Role-playing and community involvement are key components of the training.

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a novel curriculum utilizing design thinking practices to train physician assistant (PA) students in conducting end-of-life (EOL) conversations. The curriculum aims to equip future healthcare providers with the necessary communication skills for advanced care planning (ACP) and goals of care (GOC) discussions, which are crucial for respecting patient autonomy and improving care quality. This training program, which includes utilization of the design thinking framework, role-playing, and community volunteer involvement, addresses the current gap in EOL conversation training. The anticipated outcomes of integrating structured strategies for difficult conversations in medical education include enhanced patient autonomy and bolstered provider confidence, contributing to improved clinical communication and decision-making efficacy.