DISCUSSION: PATIENT PREFERENCES AND DECISION MAKING

Changes in culture and technology have resulted in patient populations that are often well informed and educated, even before consulting or considering a healthcare need delivered by a health professional. Fueled by this, health professionals are increasingly involving patients in treatment decisions. However, this often comes with challenges, as illnesses and treatments can become complex.

What has your experience been with patient involvement in treatment or healthcare decisions?

In this Discussion, you will share your experiences and consider the impact of patient involvement (or lack of involvement). You will also consider the use of a patient decision aid to inform best practices for patient care and healthcare decision making.

To Prepare:

Review the Resources and reflect on a time when you experienced a patient being brought into (or not being brought into) a decision regarding their treatment plan.

Review the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute’s Decision Aids Inventory at https://decisionaid.ohri.ca/Links to an external site..

Choose “For Specific Conditions,” then Browse an alphabetical listing of decision aids by health topic.

After you have chosen a topic (or condition) and a decision aid, consider if social determinants of healthLinks to an external site. were considered in the treatment plan Social determinants of health can affect a patient’s decision as these are conditions in the patient’s environment, such as economic stability, education access, health care access and quality, neighborhood, and social and community context.