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:
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Training for Healthcare Professionals: Emphasizes the need for training to enhance skills in shared decision-making.
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Communicating Risks, Benefits, and Consequences: Guides on effectively communicating with patients about their treatment options.
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Using Decision Aids: Promotes the use of tools that can assist patients in making informed decisions.
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Embedding Shared Decision-Making in Organizational Culture: Recommends strategies to integrate shared decision-making into healthcare practices and culture.
Recommendations for Effective Implementation
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Providing Resources in Preferred Formats:
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Offer printouts summarizing the diagnosis, treatment options, and decisions made.
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Include links to high-quality online resources.
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Ensure these materials are given to the patient to take away or shortly after the discussion.
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Follow-Up Information:
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Ensure patients have contact details for further questions after discussions.
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Writing Clinical Letters:
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Following the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges' guidance, address clinical letters to patients.
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Send copies of the letters to both the patient (unless they opt out) and the relevant healthcare professional.
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Support for Those Needing Extra Help:
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Provide additional support to patients who need extra help engaging in shared decision-making.
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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:
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Highlight Key Points: Use bullet points, subheadings, and bold text to emphasize important information.
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Use Plain Language: Ensure the text is easy to read and jargon-free.
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Provide Examples: Include real-life examples or case studies to illustrate how the recommendations can be applied.
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Visual Aids: Incorporate charts, diagrams, or infographics to visually represent key concepts.
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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.
