Engaging consumers and health professionals in collaborative decision-making to optimize care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Patient-Provider Communication
• Shared Decision-Making

Background:

• Optimizing consumer care necessitates effective communication and collaborative decision-making between patients and healthcare professionals.
• Patient engagement in asking questions and provider communication skills are vital for successful collaborative decision-making.
• The international Choosing Wisely program provides a framework for improving healthcare practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the dynamics of collaborative decision-making from both consumer and health professional viewpoints.
• To identify barriers and facilitators in the shared decision-making process within healthcare settings.
• To adapt and apply principles from the Choosing Wisely initiative to enhance patient-provider interactions.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement initiative was conducted.
• Perspectives were gathered from both consumers and health professionals.
• The study adapted methodologies from the international Choosing Wisely program.

Main Results:

• Health professionals acknowledged issues concerning the overuse and necessity of certain tests, treatments, and procedures.
• Consumers reported a high level of confidence in their ability to inquire about their health and treatment options.
• The study identified key areas for enhancing collaborative decision-making.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative decision-making is a valuable and advantageous process in healthcare.
• Addressing health professional awareness of test/treatment overuse and empowering consumer inquiry can improve care quality.
• Further integration of shared decision-making principles is recommended for better patient outcomes.