How the Foundation Develops Decision Aids
Decision aids (DAs) provide patients and their families with unbiased, evidence-based information about the available options and possible outcomes so the patient is better equipped to make an informed decision that is aligned with their preferences.
Informed Medical Decisions Foundation decision aids are intended to accomplish the following:
- Frame the decision and the available options in a balanced, unbiased way.
- Explain what is and is not known about the potential risks and benefits of each of the reasonable options, including the probability of key outcomes, based on the best available evidence.
- Share with patients what the experience of the various choices might be, including what it would be like to experience some of the most frequent side effects or complications of the treatment options. Often this is done with the use of patient interviews.
Decision aids are designed to complement, rather than replace, counseling from a health care professional.
We do not accept funding from any source with a financial interest in any particular approach to medical testing or treatment.
Read a brief overview of our decision aid development process. (PDF 1 mb)
Download a list of our Shared Decision-Making® programs. (PDF 152 kb)
