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 Health professional, healthcare professionals. The patient is most often Disease, ill or Major trauma, injured and in need of therapy, treatment by a physician, nurse, op ...

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.

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 Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

patient may face a decision whether to pursue aggressive

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...

to prolong life versus more

palliative therapy Palliative care (from Latin root "to cloak") is an interdisciplinary medical care-giving approach aimed at optimizing quality of life and mitigating or reducing suffering among people with serious, complex, and often terminal illnesses. Man ...

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 Spinal fusion, also called spondylodesis or spondylosyndesis, is a surgery performed by Orthopedic surgery#Practice, orthopaedic surgeons or neurosurgeons that joins two or more vertebrae. This procedure can be performed at any level in the spine ...

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 Decision quality (DQ) is the quality of a decision at the moment the decision is made, regardless of its outcome. Decision quality concepts permit the assurance of both effectiveness and efficiency in analyzing decision problems. In that sense, de ...

for patients, thus improving the fit between treatment and patient preference. Other studies have reported increases in

patient satisfaction Patient satisfaction is a measure of the extent to which a patient is content with the health care which they received from their health care provider. In evaluations of health care quality, patient satisfaction is a performance indicator measured ...

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 title historically used by German and Austrian emperors. In German, the title in principle applies to rulers anywhere in the world above the rank of king (). In English, the word ''kaiser'' is mainly applied to the emperors ...

), insurers/ TPAs (e.g.,

Optum Optum, Inc. is an American healthcare company that provides technology services, pharmacy care services (including a pharmacy benefit manager) and various direct healthcare services. Optum was formed as a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group in ...

), or independent vendors (e.g.,

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 w ...

References

{{reflist Decision-making Employee benefits Health care

Overview

Studies

Forms and providers

See also

References