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Patient-centered clinical decision support (PC CDS) encompasses a spectrum of decision making tools that significantly incorporate patient-centered factors related to knowledge, data, delivery, and use. Challenges prevent the full realization of PC CDS and each challenge requires careful consideration and tailored solutions to ensure successful deployment and utilization of PC CDS. This report summarizes key challenges, takeaways, and solutions based on the experiences of nine AHRQ-funded projects. 

About the Report 

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has funded projects focused on PC CDS to gain valuable insights into addressing challenges and implementing effective PC CDS solutions. These projects span various clinical domains, including chronic disease management, medication safety, and preventive care. This report aggregates the insights from the nine AHRQ-funded PC CDS projects and provides practical guidance across four domains: 

• Patient engagement
• Implementation
• Adoption
• Scaling

The AHRQ-funded projects also offered recommendations for future research, including: 

• Diversifying recruitment methods and refining feedback mechanisms to ensure representation across diverse patient populations in PC CDS research and implementation 
• Enhancing data interoperability standards, optimizing IT resource capacity, and investing in data quality review of PC CDS logic inputs 
• Improving PC CDS utility and functionality for both patients and clinicians 
• Addressing EHR limitations and exploring cost-effective deployment options

How To Use This Report 

By addressing challenges in patient engagement, data interoperability, and user acceptance, PC CDS stakeholders can use this report to accelerate the integration of PC CDS into clinical practice, ultimately improving patient outcomes and enhancing the delivery of patient-centered care. Stakeholders can also use this report to implement the suggested solutions and recommendations for future research outlined in this report to harness the full potential of PC CDS. 

Suggested Citation: Lobach D, Heaney-Huls K, Ryan S, Chiao AB, Kawamoto K, Desai PJ, Segal C, Dullabh PM, CDSiC Implementation, Adoption, and Scaling Workgroup. Implementation, Adoption, and Scaling Workgroup: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities for Patient Engagement, Implementation, Adoption, and Scaling Through PC CDS Case Studies. Prepared under Contract No. 75Q80120D00018. AHRQ Publication No. 24-0069-4. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; August 2024.