Patient-Centered Medical Decision Making

The concept of involving patients and their preferences in medical decision making has received a smattering of research attention over the years. Three U.S. studies add new perspectives.

In one study, a national survey of 2700 adults who had discussed or made ≥1 of 10 common primary care medical decisions in the prior 2 years, researchers assessed patients' recall of their involvement in decision making. For most conditions, patients recalled being asked for input 60% to 80% of the time, although they reported lower rates of involvement in decisions about mammography and about drug therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia (about 40%). Patients felt more involved in discussions about surgery than in those for screening tests.

In another st…