Quality Standards for Decision Aids
Decision aids are designed to help patients participate confidently in decisions that affect their health and well-being. As the routine use of patient decision aids increases, standards of quality are necessary to ensure that the information patients receive is evidence-based, balanced, and free of bias or conflict.
International Patient Decision Aid Standards
The International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS) Collaboration is leading the effort to advance these principles. The Collaboration is an effort on the part of researchers, health care providers, and stakeholders from around the world to establish an internationally approved set of criteria to verify the quality of patient decision aids. The group uses an interdisciplinary approach and a review of the relevant scientific evidence to develop the criteria. The Foundation believes this work is critical and endorses the establishment of specific criteria for validating the effectiveness and accuracy of specific patient decision aids. To learn more about IPDAS, visit http://ipdas.ohri.ca/.
Ottawa Health Research Institute Resources
In addition, the Ottawa Health Research Institute offers several resources to help patients and clinicians learn more about patient decision aids, including an index of decision aids, toolkits for providers interested in implementing patient decision aids in practice, and the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide. The Guide is a tool that can help patients assess their decision-making needs, plan next steps, and track their progress. To visit the site and access the tool, visit http://decisionaid.ohri.ca/.