What does shared decision-making mean?
Shared decision-making is a way in which a doctor talks with his or her patient about options and outcomes. In turn, the patient relays his or her opinions about the options resulting in a shared decision about treatment. Preference-sensitive care recognizes that there are trade-offs in the choice of medical care. Shared decision-making also addresses the ethical need to fully inform patients about the risks and benefits of treatments, as well as the need to ensure that patients’ values and choices play a leading role. Most patients willingly participate in shared decision-making, even when decisions are complicated and difficult. Basically, it comes down to the way in which a doctor would talk with his or her patient about options and outcomes. It is also about how the patient relates his or her opinions about the options. Combined, the result is a shared decision about a course of treatment. What makes shared decision-making different from traditional medical decisions? Preference-se
