shared decision making
Collaborative approach between clinician and patient to make healthcare decisions incorporating evidence and patient values.
Full Definition
Shared decision making in cardiovascular prevention involves a collaborative process where clinicians present evidence-based treatment options while incorporating patient preferences, values, and circumstances into decision-making. This approach is particularly important for primary prevention decisions where benefits and risks must be weighed against individual patient factors such as bleeding risk, medication burden, and life expectancy. The process includes risk communication using absolute risk reduction numbers, discussion of treatment alternatives, and consideration of patient-specific factors that might influence treatment choice. Shared decision making is endorsed by cardiovascular prevention guidelines as essential for optimizing patient engagement and treatment adherence.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as a compound modifier; may be written without hyphens when used as a noun phrase.
In Context
- "Shared decision making led to the patient choosing lifestyle modification over immediate statin therapy." — Primary prevention consultation
- "The risk communication tools facilitate shared decision making by presenting absolute risk reductions clearly." — Clinical decision support evaluation