Some healthcare decisions are fairly clear, as there is one best course of action that can be recommended by a health care professional.Sometimes patients will have choices to make about their healthcare because more than one reasonable option exists.
For example:
· patients may be asked to decide whether or
not they want to have treatment or a test
· patients may be asked to chose between
different types of treatment or ways of
managing their condition
· patients may be asked if they want to
continue with the same treatment, or
change to a different treatment
When there are reasonable options available, the best outcome for the patient will depend on what is important to them.
This means we must take into account the needs, desires and lifestyle of the individual patient to help them make the best decision for them.
Shared decision making is an approach that helps to achieve this. It involves the patient and the health care professional working together to arrive at a decision:
· the health care professional provides the patient with information about the available options and possible
benefits and risks of these options
· the patient communicates their personal values and discusses how important each of the benefits and risks
are to them
Making sure patients get the answers to the 3 questions and allowing them to explain what is important to them will make sure that patients are involved in shared decision making.
