PATIENT-CENTERED DECISION MAKING: LESSONS FROM MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS FOR QUANTIFYING PATIENT PREFERENCES

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Decision Science
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Patient preferences are central to healthcare decision-making, yet their sufficient consideration in regulatory and reimbursement processes is questioned.
• There is a growing argument for quantifying patient preferences to ensure they are adequately addressed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for quantifying patient preferences in healthcare.
• To identify lessons from MCDA use that can improve the consideration of patient voices in decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Review of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) principles and benefits for decision-makers.
• Identification of existing MCDAs involving patients.
• Summarization of best practice guidelines for quantifying patient preferences using MCDA.

Main Results:

• MCDA guidance highlights the importance of considering patient preference heterogeneity and its relevance to decision-makers.
• Cognitive challenges associated with different elicitation methods must be addressed.
• The validity of results and the context-specific relevance of these considerations are crucial.

Conclusions:

• The multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) literature offers valuable insights for quantifying patient preferences.
• Applying MCDA principles can enhance the integration of patient voices in healthcare decision-making processes.