Decision Support for Patients

Abstract

Research studies have shown that access to health information and decision support can enable patients to be more active participants in the treatment process, leading to better medical outcomes. Decision support may take the form of health risk appraisals, understanding symptoms and when to see a doctor, as well as support for treatment choices and health management in the home. Many systems are designed to improve shared decision making, blending the expertise of clinicians in areas of diagnosis and prognosis with patients' knowledge of their preferences and values on potential health outcomes. Technologies designed to provide clarity and improved access to decision support tools for patients have the potential to improve the quality of health care decisions and health outcomes more generally.