USING INTERACTIVE VIDEOS IN GENERAL-PRACTICE TO INFORM PATIENTS ABOUTTREATMENT CHOICES - A PILOT-STUDY

Our objective was to assess the acceptability of using an interactive video system in a general practice setting to inform patients about tr eatment choices. A descriptive cohort study was carried out in eight g eneral practices in Oxfordshire. Fifty-four patients with mild hyperte nsion and 29 with benign prostatic hypertrophy were studied. Patients' views of the video, treatment preference, level of involvement in tre atment decision and satisfaction with decisionmaking process and GPs' views of the effect of the video on subsequent consultations were meas ured. Both patients and GPs reported favourable impressions of the int eractive video system: 71% of patients said it definitely helped with their treatment decision; GPs said they found the video helpful in 82% of cases. The results of this pilot study were sufficiently encouragi ng to indicate the need for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of the video on the doctor-patient relationship, on subsequ ent treatment decisions and on health outcomes and patients' well-bein g.