Shared Decision Making for an Implantable Pulmonary Artery Monitoring Device in Heart Failure: A Pilot Study

Pulmonary artery (PA) pressure can be monitored remotely by a microelectromechanical sensor (MEMS) permanently implanted in the pulmonary artery. This device allows early management of fluid overload in heart failure so that diuresis can be initiated promptly, and hospitalization and other adverse events can be prevented. To test the methods and measures proposed to explore patient and provider perceptions of Shared Decision Making for the CardioMEMS pulmonary artery pressure monitoring device. A convenience sample of eight patient-provider dyads was enrolled at an ambulatory academic cardiology clinic and completed the shared decision making questionnaire in the clinic prior to the procedure. The majority of providers reported complete agreement that shared decision making occurred. Patients’ survey responses varied but remained positive. The survey used was feasible and effective. Dyad perceptions were positive and concordant in this small convenience sample. Future studies with larger samples are needed to develop interventions to promote behaviors necessary for shared decision making.