“The day my son dies, I will die, too.” Shared decision-making through game theory in paediatric palliative care: A clinical case scenario

Abstract

Shared decision-making processes are complex, especially in paediatric palliative care. Giving a voice to each actor -the child and his parents- are key to find the best outcome. We suggest that applying the principles of game theory, aiming to reach an equilibrium for each of the family members could be an innovative approach to tackle the challenges of shared decision-making processes. Through this clinical case scenario, for which we applied the principles of the game theory, we show how shared decision making might be more balanced to reach the best outcome. Moreover, we hypothesize that using the game theory approach might help clinicians and researchers in the field of paediatrics to optimize clinical outcomes in the best interest of children and parents.