Patients and clinicians have different expertise when it comes to making important clinical decisions. While clinicians know information about diseases, tests and treatments, patients know information about their bodies, their circumstances, and their goals for life and healthcare. The process of sharing in the decision-making tasks involves developing a partnership based on empathy, exchanging information about the available treatment options, considering the potential consequences of each one, and deciding medical treatments collaboratively.
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT SHARED DECISION MAKING.
The Mayo Clinic’s Shared Decision-Making National Resource Center is called Care That Fits. The Shared Decision-Making National Resource Center advances patient-centered medical care by promoting shared-decision making through the education and the development, implementation, and assessment of patient decision aids and shared decision-making techniques. It is involved in setting international standards for patient decision aids, establishing state-wide shared decision-making practices, and promoting national and international dialogue about patient-centered care. The website provides free tools and videos for use by doctors and patients when treatment decisions are needed for a variety of medical conditions. https://carethatfits.org/
Respecting Choices Respecting Choices® is an internationally recognized, evidence-based model of advance care planning seeking to create a healthcare culture of person-centered care—care that honors an individual’s goals and values for current and future healthcare. The complete Respecting Choices model offers advance care planning and shared decision-making education for clinicians. https://respectingchoices.org/
Click on the links below for Respecting Choices decision aids.
- User Guide for Decision Aids
- Help with Breathing Decision Aid
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Decision Aid
VitalTalk VitalTalk is a training organization for clinicians seeking to communicate effectively with seriously ill patients and their families. VitalTalk provides evidence-based training to empower clinicians and institutions. The website offers many resources, including free one-page quick guides that offer actionable insight. There are also options for more comprehensive training both online and in-person on such topics as “Delivering Serious News,” and “Navigating Serious Conversations.” https://www.vitaltalk.org/
