Construction of a patient-centered decision support tool for cosmetic breast surgery

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a patient-centered decision aid (PDA) to support shared decision-making among individuals undergoing aesthetic breast surgery in China. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework served as the theoretical foundation for the development of the tool, which was created through a multistage process that included a literature review, expert focus group interviews, and a pilot clinical application involving 20 patients. The PDA was implemented using a WeChat mini-program and structured into six core modules: assessment of decision-making, evaluation of support resources, information acquisition, provider selection, surgical plan selection, and decision evaluation. Expert panels, comprised of experienced clinicians and patients, assessed the importance of each component, with all primary indicators receiving scores above 4.75 on a five-point scale. Pilot testing revealed that PDA enhanced patient understanding of risks and benefits, elucidated values and preferences, reduced decisional regret, and improved communication efficiency between patients and clinicians. The qualitative interviews confirmed their practical utility and cultural adaptability. This tool offers a structured, evidence-informed, and interactive platform to empower patients to make well-aligned decisions regarding aesthetic breast procedures. Future research should focus on scaling its application and exploring artificial intelligence integration to personalize decision support.