Over the last several years, an increasing number of doctors are helping healthcare decision making for patients about their treatments to improve the quality of their care. Rather than telling patients and their families which treatment they should get for a disease, infection or health condition, doctors are working with patients and their families to choose the right treatment for them. Because the Affordable Care Act encourages shared decision-making about health care, it is getting greater attention.
Healthcare decisions should be about people’s priorities and goals, given the risks and benefits of different treatments. What is most important to you? What are you most worried about? In the best cases, people or their health buddies ask questions of doctors about treatment options and take notes so that they can make an informed choice.
Shared decision-making can also lead to better health outcomes. In the case of acute respiratory infections, helping patients understand the risks of antibiotics, which offer few benefits, has led to fewer antibiotic prescriptions, without an increase in repeat visits for the same condition or a decrease in patient satisfaction.
Read this complete article at JustCareUSA.og.
Diane Archer
JustCareUSA.org
