Introduction Shared Decision Making (SDM) can support patients and families to share needs and preferences for care and treatment. This quality improvement project aimed to implement a systematic approach to family involvement during patient hospitalization in complex care settings. This approach was facilitated by appointed SDM Change Agents.

Methods SDM was implemented at the Department of Internal Medicine at Hospital Sønderjylland, facilitated by change agents utilizing the SDM:Kompass model, and a new step-by-step implementation process with integrated learning loops. Each learning loop consisted of peer SDM education and repetition, mandatory local group reflections at regular intervals, one-to-one training and individual feedback (see figure 1). A former patient volunteered to participate in group reflections.

Results Between June and December 2023, change agents facilitated 60 group reflections across five wards and actively engaged healthcare professionals in SDM once or twice a week, accomplishing more than 200 hours of one-to-one teaching and individual feedback. Preliminary findings indicate an increased perception of involvement by patients and families during hospitalization.

Discussion Facilitating the bridge between theory and practical application of SDM by healthcare professionals is crucial for implementation in complex care settings. This quality improvement project explored an SDM implementation process driven by designated change agents applying various strategies to engage healthcare professionals after SDM training.

Conclusion Implementation of SDM can be enhanced by involving designated healthcare professionals as change agents, enabling peer education, feedback, and storytelling.

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Abstract 229 Figure 1

SDM implementation process in clinical practice with learning loops