Treatment decision support consists of the tools and processes used to enhance medical

patient A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other health ...

s’ healthcare decision-making. The term differs from ''clinical'' ''decision support'', in that clinical decision support tools are aimed at medical professionals, while treatment decision support tools empower the people who will receive the treatments. This service may be delivered at the site of healthcare services, or as an employee benefit through third-party providers such as

Grand Rounds Grand rounds are a methodology of medical education and inpatient care, consisting of presenting the medical problems and treatment of a particular patient to an audience consisting of doctors, pharmacists, residents, and medical students. It wa ...

Overview

Patients are often unaware of the benefits, side-effects, costs, or other key factors about a healthcare treatment that may inform their decision. For example, a

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

patient may face a decision whether to pursue aggressive

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemothe ...

to prolong life versus more

palliative therapy Palliative care (derived from the Latin root , or 'to cloak') is an interdisciplinary medical caregiving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating suffering among people with serious, complex, and often terminal illnesses. Wi ...

to increase

quality of life Quality of life (QOL) is defined by the World Health Organization as "an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards ...

. An orthopedics patient may face a choice between aggressive lumbar spinal fusion versus physical therapy. Treatment decision support is intended to bridge the gap between patients' initial knowledge and the knowledge that is required for them to make fully informed decisions about which treatment to pursue. Treatment decision support programs allow patients to actively engage in the healthcare decision-making process by gathering and weighing information which may be personalized for their situation. For example, some disease-specific programs may offer series of surveys that help a patient determine their treatment preferences, however these services have been criticized as supporting only a small portion of patients who fit the questions. Other treatment decision support programs include the ability to discuss treatment options with a skilled physician who is not treating the patient and is not subject to cost pressures.

Studies

Studies have shown that patient-oriented evidence-based decision support systems can improve decision quality for patients, thus improving the fit between treatment and patient preference. Other studies have reported increases in patient satisfaction and health following treatment decision support programs. These systems can also reduce healthcare system spending by initially aligning patient preferences with treatment (avoiding redundant treatments) and giving patients tools to express desires for less aggressive treatment modalities that often improve quality of life. Treatment decision support may also improve adherence and compliance.

Forms and providers

Tools may include literature, interactive online exercises, programs that encourage speaking with similarly-situated patients, discussions with neutral physicians, and other programs. Treatment decision support may be provided by integrated health plans (e.g.,

Kaiser ''Kaiser'' is the German word for " emperor" (female Kaiserin). In general, the German title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (''König''). In English, the (untranslated) word ''Kaiser'' is mainly a ...

), insurers/ TPAs (e.g.,

Optum Optum, Inc. is an American pharmacy benefit manager and health care provider. It has been a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group since 2011. UHG formed Optum by merging its existing pharmacy and care delivery services into the single Optum bran ...

), or independent vendors (e.g.,

References

{{reflist Decision-making Employee benefits Health care

Overview

Studies

Forms and providers

See also

References