Shared Decision Making (SDM) Month Bringing SDM to Mainstream Health Care

BOSTON, MA and BOISE, ID--(Marketwired - March 01, 2016) - In 1982, a President's Commission determined that health care decision making was "an ethical obligation that involves a process of shared decisionmaking [sic] based upon the mutual respect and participation of patients and health professionals." In the decades since, the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation has focused on making every health decision a shared decision between the person and their doctor. And we've seen shared decision making (SDM) written into standards for Patient-Centered Medical Home and Accountable Care Organization, reflected in Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) measures, and incorporated into reimbursement regulations.

In March, the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation will unite people and organizations in a month-long initiative that highlights the best in SDM thought leadership and real-world implementation.

Shared Decision Making Month 2016 will revolve around a single theme -- "A blueprint for SDM success" -- with expert contributors providing insights on how to achieve shared decision making. With a webinar on SDM implementation and frequent blog posts from SDM champions, SDM Month will explore success as it relates to:

• Applying best practices.
• Developing successful models for implementation.
• Enhancing the patient experience.
• Reaching vulnerable populations.

"Evidence has shown that shared decision making, when implemented in the right way, can bridge health disparities and address both underuse and overuse of health care resources," said Dr. Michael Barry, president of the Foundation. "During SDM Month, our expert contributors will share key elements from their own experiences for how to successfully implement SDM in a clinical setting and bring us closer to a truly patient-centered health care system."

For more information on SDM Month, visit www.sdmmonth.org.

About the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation
The Informed Medical Decisions Foundation, a division of Healthwise since April 2014, has been working to advance evidence-based shared decision making (SDM) since 1989. As the research and advocacy arm of Healthwise, the Foundation demonstrates the value of evidence-based information in helping people make better health decisions, and promotes patient engagement and SDM through advocacy initiatives both in the U.S. and beyond. The Foundation is rooted in the belief that the only way to ensure high-quality health care decisions is for a fully informed patient to participate in the decision-making process. www.informedmedicaldecisions.org.