Extending decision support: preparation and implementation.

Abstract

The shift towards patient-centered care requires innovative, flexible decision-making models. Current decision aids provide information and help patients clarify values. By focusing almost exclusively on these two components, the aids miss some necessary elements that can improve decision quality. We discuss two such elements in this paper. First is avoiding the tendency to move into providing information about options and outcomes before adequate preparation. The second is the tendency to neglect to provide adequate implementation support.