Alliance for Health Reform: "Shared Medical Decision Making: We're in This Together"

The relationship between patients and doctors has been changing from the traditional model in which a doctor decides on a treatment course without significant patient input. One way to facilitate shared decision making is through the use of decision support tools, which offer the patient high quality medical information in an easily understandable format. How do these tools work? How might shared decision making benefit patients, purchasers and providers of care? What role can shared decision making play in the larger effort to improve the quality and lower the cost of health care? How does the Affordable Care Act affect shared decision making? What risks, if any, are involved?

To address these and related questions, the Alliance for Health Reform, the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making are sponsoring a February 14 luncheon briefing. Panelists will be: Helen Darling, National Business Group on Health; Michael Barry, Foundation for Informed Medical Decision Making; Karen Merrikin, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound; and David Shern, Mental Health America. Ed Howard of the Alliance will moderate.