Patient Preferences and Decision Making Health, Medicine Essay

Patient Preferences and Decision Making
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Patient Preferences and Decision Making
Although most patients are more informed than they were in the 20th century, some patients express their dissatisfaction because they feel like they don’t have a voice on the decisions made by doctors concerning their health. This is because most patients do not understand the evidence that should help them make uniformed decisions. However, the Healthcare workers are increasingly encouraged to involve patients in decisions affecting their health.
Shared decision making is a strategy that enables patients to play an active role in the decisions made by medical practitioners concerning their health. It revolves around two concepts: First and foremost, patients armed with good information often participate in making their health decisions by asking uniformed questions and about their medical conditions and treatment options (Hughes, 2020). Secondly, health care workers will respect the patient’s preferences and give recommendations on treatment options that the patients may agree to (CAHPS, 2020). Shared decision making uses evidence-based tools known as patient decision aids that provide options about the options and outcome of a decision by clarifying personal values.
At Bellington Hospital, I came across an Alzheimer’s patient called John. Alzheimer’s is a mental disease that causes a patient’s brain cells to waste away. The disease is the most common cause of Dementia and disrupts a person’s ability to function independently. The decision aid prepared for John showed that: Alzheimer’s disease gets worse over time but the time span varies. Additionally, as the disease worsens, John might have problems making decisions. He might also in a constant state of confusion and be unable to tell the time of day (Patient Decision Aid, 2020). Thirdly, he might also have problems finding the right words to say. The d...