Shared Decision-making in Orthopaedic Surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical communication
• Patient-centered care
• Surgical decision-making

Background:

• Shared decision-making (SDM) is crucial for aligning patient goals with evidence-based treatments.
• Its importance is heightened when invasive surgical procedures are considered.
• Effective communication is key to mirroring patient goals in treatment choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide orthopaedic surgeons with an understanding of SDM.
• To explore how SDM can enhance physician-patient communication.
• To detail the elements, benefits, indications, and barriers of SDM.

Main Methods:

• Review of the concept and principles of shared decision-making.
• Exploration of decision aids as tools to facilitate SDM.
• Discussion of practical implementation strategies for orthopaedic surgeons.

Main Results:

• SDM ensures treatment choices reflect patient values and goals.
• Decision aids are valuable tools for improving SDM.
• Barriers to SDM implementation exist but can be overcome.

Conclusions:

• SDM is essential for patient-centered care, especially in surgery.
• Integrating SDM and decision aids can improve orthopaedic practice.
• Practical steps are proposed for incorporating SDM into clinical workflows.