Author: The Centre for Perioperative Care
Resource Type: Case study
Categories: Supported self-management, Shared decision making, Personalised care and support planning, Choice, Person-centred care, Patient experience
Publishing body: Improvement body
Shared decision making (SDM) is the process whereby patients and clinicians work together to make evidenced based decisions centred on patient values and preferences. This may be to select a test or intervention such as going ahead with surgery. SDM ensures individuals are supported to make decisions which are right for them.
Patients who are effectively involved in making decisions about their care have fewer regrets about treatment, better reported communication with their healthcare professionals, improved knowledge of their condition and treatment options, better adherence to the selected treatment and an overall better experience with improved satisfaction.
Shared decision making is appropriate for decisions in both primary and secondary care. Shared decision making explicitly acknowledges the fact that there is usually more than one way to treat a problem, including ‘no treatment’ and patients may require support to weigh up the benefits and harms of the options in order to determine the best choice for them.
This resource includes a short animation of Peter’s journey, highlighting the realities of shared decision making through a case study:
