Perioperative shared decision-making in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand: Audit results from a complex decision pathway quality improvement initiative using a structured communication tool

Abstract

Patients presenting for elective surgery in the Bay of Plenty area in New Zealand are increasingly elderly with significant medical comorbidities. For these patients the risk–benefit balance of undergoing surgery can be complex. We recognised the need for a robust shared decision-making pathway within our perioperative medicine service. We describe the setup of a complex decision pathway within our district health board and report on the audit data from our first 49 patients. The complex decision pathway encourages surgeons to identify high-risk patients who will benefit from shared decision-making, manages input from multiple specialists as needed with excellent communication between those specialists, and provides a patient-centred approach to decision-making using a structured communication tool.