The new NICE shared decision-making guideline provides comprehensive recommendations on integrating shared decision-making into everyday care across all healthcare settings. Here are some of the key topics covered:
Training for Healthcare Professionals: Emphasizes the need for training to enhance skills in shared decision-making.
Communicating Risks, Benefits, and Consequences: Guides on effectively communicating with patients about their treatment options.
Using Decision Aids: Promotes the use of tools that can assist patients in making informed decisions.
Embedding Shared Decision-Making in Organizational Culture: Recommends strategies to integrate shared decision-making into healthcare practices and culture.
Recommendations for Effective Implementation
Providing Resources in Preferred Formats:
Offer printouts summarizing the diagnosis, treatment options, and decisions made.
Include links to high-quality online resources.
Ensure these materials are given to the patient to take away or shortly after the discussion.
Follow-Up Information:
Ensure patients have contact details for further questions after discussions.
Writing Clinical Letters:
Following the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges' guidance, address clinical letters to patients.
Send copies of the letters to both the patient (unless they opt out) and the relevant healthcare professional.
Support for Those Needing Extra Help:
Provide additional support to patients who need extra help engaging in shared decision-making.
Options include encouraging them to record the discussion, providing written explanations of decisions, or arranging follow-up by clinical staff or suitable alternatives.
Enhancing Engagement and Clarity
To make the guideline more engaging and clear:
Highlight Key Points: Use bullet points, subheadings, and bold text to emphasize important information.
Use Plain Language: Ensure the text is easy to read and jargon-free.
Provide Examples: Include real-life examples or case studies to illustrate how the recommendations can be applied.
Visual Aids: Incorporate charts, diagrams, or infographics to visually represent key concepts.
Feedback Mechanism: Offer patients and healthcare professionals a way to provide feedback on the implementation of the guideline.
By following these recommendations, healthcare professionals can effectively incorporate shared decision-making into their practice, improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.
