Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital researchers investigated the impact of shared decision-making on orthopedic elective surgery patient outcomes, according to AJMC.com.
The study involved patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis, lumbar herniated disc or lumbar spinal stenosis. Researchers sent patients surveys a week after their initial specialist appointments, to determine knowledge, preferred treatment and baseline quality of life, knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score, Harris Hip Score and Oswestry Disability Index. Patients received another survey six months post-surgery or after nonsurgical treatment. This survey assessed treatment, quality of life, regret and satisfaction.
Researchers determined patients who received a passing knowledge score of 60 percent or higher and received their preferred treatment made an informed patient-centered decision.
Here are four insights:
1. The study revealed 36 percent of the patients made informed patient-centered decisions.
2. Those patients who made informed patient-centered decisions experienced better overall and disease-specific quality of life.
3. The patients who made informed decisions also were more likely to express satisfaction with their pain outcomes as well as treatment. They also had less regret.
4. Researchers concluded shared decision-making fosters well-informed patients who receive their preferred treatment path, express higher satisfaction and see better health outcomes.