Shared decision making: what do clinicians need to know and why should they bother?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Clinical Communication
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Shared decision making (SDM) is a process where clinicians and patients jointly make health decisions.
• It involves discussing options, benefits, harms, and patient values, preferences, and circumstances.
• SDM is crucial for guiding decisions on screening, investigations, and treatments.

Observation:

• The benefits of SDM include integrating evidence with patient preferences, enhancing patient knowledge and risk perception, and improving communication.
• It also reduces decisional conflict and inappropriate use of medical interventions.
• Five guiding questions for clinicians are presented to facilitate the SDM process.

Findings:

• Decision support tools can facilitate SDM, though it can occur without them.
• Clinician-perceived misconceptions are significant barriers to SDM implementation.
• Australia lags behind other countries in SDM adoption despite international initiatives.

Implications:

• Addressing misconceptions and promoting SDM is vital for improving healthcare.
• Urgent action is needed in Australia to advance SDM practices.
• Enhanced clinician-patient communication and patient engagement are key outcomes.