Research

Welcome to the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation library of studies, articles and research overviews related to the topic areas we care about most. In our collection you will find the following resources:

Shared Decision-Making® Program Research: These studies evaluate and test our suite of decision aids.
Featured Shared Decision Making Publications: This resource includes key articles and studies that provide insight into the best methods of informing and engaging patients and how doing so can help improve the quality of health care.
Foundation Perspectives: These succinct white papers, written by our senior scientific advisor, Floyd J. Fowler, PhD, look at common questions about the shared decision making process and provide our best answers based on the current available research.
Funded Research: Each year, the Foundation funds research that evaluates various aspects of medical decision making. Summaries of these projects are included in this resource collection. Learn more about applying for funding.

Below you will find samples of our most recent acquisitions, grouped by resource type.

Patients Want to be Involved

May 1, 2011

Imprecisely worded and poorly designed survey questions have caused considerable confusion about the degree to which patients want to be involved in medical decisions. When questions are worded such that patients understand that they are not being asked to make decisions requiring technical clinical information and particularly when respondents have been given basic information about the decision they are facing, survey data are extremely consistent; most patients want to be informed and to play a direct and active role in the decision making process.… Continue reading →

Posted in Patient Involvement | Tagged patient engagement, shared decision making Permalink

Striving for Balance & Fairness

February 1, 2011

One of our primary goals at the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation is to strive for balance and fairness when helping patients understand medical decisions. At the core of our organization is the conviction that the best medical decisions are made when patients are well informed and active participants in the decision making process. A balanced presentation gives patients the best chance to work in partnership with their providers and make the decision that will serve them best.… Continue reading →

Shared Decision Making & Medical Costs

October 1, 2010

The strongest argument for shared decision making is that patients have a fundamental right to understand all the reasonable medical options and the arguments for and against each option. Simply put, informing and involving patients in medical decisions is the right thing to do. By being informed and involved, patients have the ability to avoid having surgery that exposes them to risks they do not think are worth the benefits. In addition to those certain benefits, the evidence is also mounting that shared decision making is likely to pay for itself -- and it may well do better than that.… Continue reading →