Decision aids help anesthesiologists, patients when there is no ‘best’ option — 4 insights

Anesthesia decision aids can help guide patients through the process of making informed decisions on their care plans.

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Here’s what you should know.

1. Patients frequently don’t speak up about their care out of fear they’ll be seen as demanding.

2. In an era where service is becoming increasingly more important, anesthesiologists need to help patients understand their care, more than ever before.

3. To cater to service, anesthesiologists should involve patients in shared decision-making.

According to a survey, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, patients value when providers respect their preferences the most.

4. Anesthesiologist Karen Domino, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, said in an ASA Monitor article, “In order to practice patient-centered care, healthcare providers need to engage in shared decision-making with patients.”

To download a regional anesthesia decision aid or to learn more about anesthesia decision aids, click here.

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