Shared Decision Making Essay

SHARED DECISION MAKING: A CONTROVERSIAL MODEL

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays the concept of patient-centeredness plays an important role in high-quality health care. Patient-centeredness joins the care the patient is getting together with the care that the patient is willing to receive, giving therefore the patient a certain ethical authority. This particular approach to practice is built upon important concepts such as patient’s preferences respect, whole-person knowledge and creating an effective relationship between the patient and the clinician. These particular concepts might vary taking in consideration the condition of the patient and the patient himself. Patient-centeredness is also known as patient centered care. [1] [2]

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The idea and the concept of shared decision making in practice is recent. The principles regarding this specific module were beeing documented since 1982. We could eventually say that shared decision making is a new concept among practitioners. [3]

Ever since, a clear guidance regarding the accomplishment of shared decision making in routine practice is lacking. Nowadays proves about how with good communication a practitioner and his patient could accomplish shared decision making have been provided by specific scientific articles. [3]

Shared decision making is considered to be built both on relational autonomy and self-determination, which are connnected to three important principles at the base of this model: build up of good clinician-patient relationships, the respect of interdependence and individual competence, and the support of the autonomy of the patient.

On the other hand, share decision making is nota as effective for clinicians as it is for patients. According to studies [4], clinicians result to be debated if the model is positive or negative considering the care. Practitioners usually have in mind a particular plan and know what is best for the patient, but sometimes the patient, being able to make his own choice and take part of the final decision, considers the opposite option to be more appropriate. In these cases debates might arise, complicaing the procedure and leading share decision making to be negative. On the other hand if patient and practitioner are able to reach a final decision that coincides, the model results to be positive and efficient. [5]

CONCLUSION

Shared decision making is directly related to patient centered care. It allows patients to be part of their own health care plan, by deciding together with the practitioner taken in consideration what the best solution to the state of the patient is. This model has advantages and disadvatages for both patient and practictioner, but on the other hand it is able to give the patient a certain authority, which is able to consolidate the relationship clinician-patient. Although is a procedure which can be of great