Shared decision-making - Creating pathways and models of care

Abstract

Shared decision-making (SDM) is an essential element providing patient-centered perioperative care. Newer value-based healthcare models, defined as patient-centered outcomes versus the cost required to achieve these outcomes, will necessitate the use of metrics that reflect the alignment of treatment decisions with patient preferences and goals. The heart of a successful SDM conversation is ensuring this alignment. Accountability for ensuring high quality SDM perioperatively is not clearly assigned. By learning methodologies to successfully incorporate SDM into clinical practice, anesthesiologists can increase the value of care they provide to their patients. The ideal means of achieving SDM within the complexity of modern medicine is not yet certain.

Keywords: appropriateness; clinical pathways; patient-centered care; shared decision making; value-based care.