[FUSION] Investigating the Doctor-Patient-Family Triad to Gain An Understanding of Shared Decision Making

Purpose

To improve our understanding of this critical yet neglected area of DM, the current project will elucidate the doctor-patient-family triadic relationship through an exploration of cancer consultations. It will expand the conceptual framework of the meaning and characteristics of shared decision making (SDM) to incorporate the doctor-patient-family triad. The newly developed conceptual framework will provide a basis for future theoretical and empirical research into triadic DM across a variety of medical and professional encounters. Thus, through its novel conceptual contribution, this project has the potential to transform the field of SDM.

Specifically, the current research project will:

1. Explore the nature and dynamics of triadic cancer consultations, specifically examining the role of family members within the medical DM process.

2. Develop a new coding system targeting doctor-patient-family DM, and pilot it using 200 audiotapes of cancer consultations from an existing library of recordings.

3. Expand Charles, et al., 5,6 SDM dyadic model and propose a theoretical model explaining the triadic DM process within the cancer setting.