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WHAT IS A DECISION AID?

PatientPlus has over 80 Dutch and 25 English decision aids available. These decision aids contain easily understandable and relevant information that matches the patients’ diagnosis and the pros and cons of each treatment option. It also contains questions which give the patient a better insight into preferences and values.

 

After finishing the decision aid, the patient is well informed and knows his/her preferences and values. Hereafter, doctor and patient can participate in a comprehensive and tailored consult. Research has repeatedly shown that patients are more satisfied when they can decide on their own treatment program. Effective and appropriate care is the result, which leads to increased treatment adherence.

DEVELOP A DECISION AID

PatientPlus develops decision aids for common medical diagnoses, such as knee arthritis and breast cancer. We already developed over 80 Dutch and 25 English decision aids. Is your medical specialty lacking? Please contact us.

We develop our decision aids with great care. Every new decision aid is developed in collaboration with medical specialists and patient and scientific organisations. Moreover, the content of our decision aids is based on international guidelines. During the development of a decision aid, we follow these 4 steps:


1. IDENTIFY 
–  Assessment of needs
For every diagnosis we assess the need for specific information, goals and support.


2. DEVELOP 
 Define and develop content
Depending on the needs we define the content and structure of the decision aid. Then, we develop and optimize the concept based on the latest guidelines and literature and based on user friendliness.


3. TEST 
–  Assessment of connection
During the test phase we assess whether the decision aid is in line with the needs of its users. Additionally, we double-check if the decision aid is fully up-to-date.


4. EVALUATE 
–  Optimize the decision aid
Every other year we evaluate the content and the usage of the decision aid. Then, we adjust the decision aid based on the latest views, literature and guidelines.

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IMPLEMENT A DECISION AID

Introducing change can be challenging. We would like to make this easier for you, by sharing our years of experience. We have introduced Shared Decision Making in different health care institutions by developing and implementing decision aids. Therefore we know the pitfalls, success factors and best practices.

 

We implement decision aids with great care and precision. Doing so, we follow 4 steps. Its exact content is always defined in collaboration with the particular health care institution or department.

 

1. IDENTIFY –  Form a working group and care paths
We form a working group which includes at least a doctor and a representative from the polyclinic. The working group identifies the care paths, determines the departmental goals and is responsible for the implementation.

 

2. INSTRUCT –  Training and launching
We inform and instruct the team that will work with the decision aids. After consulting you, we plan the launch date and communication within and outside of the health care institution and/or department. After the launch we continue to support you by giving additional information and advice.


3. EVALUATE – Monitor results

When the decision aid has been used for a while, we will discuss the progress. Clients can continuously monitor the usage via a dashboard. Using this information we can optimize the decision aid if needed. If desired we can perform a baseline measurement in step 2, in order to monitor the effects of Shared Decision Making.

 

4. OPTIMIZE Optimize content and usage
We use insights obtained during the evaluation to further optimize the decision aid. We also make future arrangements, for example to see if we can scale up.

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Get in touch

contact@patientplus.info
+31 (0)85 0188 738

CHECK THE DECISION AIDS

We have developed Dutch decision aids for over 80 diagnoses and English decision aids for over 25 diagnoses. So, there is a real chance we already have the decision aid that can facilitate Shared Decision Making in your practice. Check our wide range of decision aids at keuzehulp.info or decisionaid.info.

Below you can find a selection. Is your medical specialty lacking? Please contact us! We like to think of the opportunities for your practice.