Shared Decision Making and Effective Physician-Patient Communication: The Quintessence of Patient-Centered Care

Huy Ming Lim,Kristiana Siste Kurniasanti

doi:10.5195/ijms.2015.106

Abstract

Highlights

The Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2001 landmark report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, identified patient-centeredness as one of the fundamental attributes of quality health care, alongside safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity.[1]
Since the inception of the patient-centered care concept, a plethora of studies have repeatedly shown that orienting health care around the needs and preferences of patients holds promise for improved health care quality, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes.[4,5,6,7,8]
Shared decision making recognizes that both clinicians and patients bring different but important forms of expertise to the table

Summary

Introduction

At the pinnacle of patient-centered care is shared decision making, a process by which clinicians and patients participate jointly in making health decisions for a preference-sensitive condition—a condition where more than one screening, diagnosis, intervention, or support strategy is clinically appropriate.[9,10] Shared decision making goes beyond the discussion of risks and benefits involved in the informed consent process.[11] It helps identify and takes into consideration the patient’s circumstances, values, and informed preferences for the risks, benefits, and uncertainties associated with each alternative.

Results

Conclusion