BOSTON, Mass. – July 25, 2012 – Health Dialog today released a new white paper that details best practices for implementing Shared Decision Making at the point of care. With ever-growing demands and priorities weighing on today’s busy physician practices, Health Dialog’s expertise serves as a guide for putting programs in place at the doctor’s office that educate patients on their conditions, help them consider their treatment choices, and empower them to decide with their physicians on the course of care that is best for them.
“From Theory to Practice: Implementing Shared Decision Making at the Point of Care”, authored by Peter Goldbach, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Health Dialog, comes at a critical time in this post-reform era as many practices strive to be recognized as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). Shared Decision Making and treatment decision support are both specifically cited as critical elements for implementing PCMH in the Joint Principles of the Patient-Centered Medical Home and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognition standards, respectively.
The leader in Shared Decision Making since 1997, Health Dialog has a wealth of experience in working with plans, employers, and providers and has demonstrated an unparalleled program: Health Dialog’s library of Shared Decision Making® aids has collectively garnered more than 100 industry awards and the DECISION Dialog® offering has been proven to appropriately reduce costs and utilization while delivering high patient satisfaction. A recent New England Journal of Medicine study showed the Health Dialog program reduced inpatient and outpatient elective surgeries by nearly 10% and hospital admissions for patients facing preference-sensitive medical conditions by over 11%.
“Shared Decision Making allows practices to build on the most important foundation of the doctor-patient relationship – establishing trust,” said Dr. Goldbach. “By providing a strong support program directly at the point of care, physicians can demonstrate to patients that they are “in this thing together.”” Equipping patients with medical decision aids and encouraging constructive discussion reminds patients that they play a critical role in directing their care and that their values and preferences matter. In addition to the proven benefits of cost control and reduced utilization, Shared Decision Making, quite simply, is the right thing to do.”
In addition to direct download, Health Dialog’s new paper can also be found on The Health Dialog Blog, launched earlier this month. The blog will include regular posts from Health Dialog executives as well as executives and thought leaders from across the healthcare industry.
About Health Dialog Services Corporation:
Health Dialog Services Corporation is a leading provider of healthcare analytics and decision support. The firm is a private, wholly-owned subsidiary of Bupa, a global provider of healthcare services. Health Dialog helps healthcare payors improve healthcare quality while reducing overall costs. Company offerings include health coaching for medical decisions, chronic conditions, and wellness; population analytic solutions; and consulting services. Health Dialog helps individuals participate in their own healthcare decisions, develop more effective relationships with their physicians, and live healthier, happier lives. For more information please visit www.healthdialog.com.
Media Inquiries:
Kiran Ganda
Health Dialog
kganda@healthdialog.com
617.406.5239
[1] The Joint Guidelines were put forth by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Physicians (ACP), and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
[2] A preference-sensitive medical condition is defined as a condition with two or more medically acceptable treatment options.
[3] Wennberg DE, Marr A, Lang L, O’Malley S, Bennett GB, “A Randomized Trial of a Telephone Care-Management Strategy”, New England Journal of Medicine, September 23, 2010, 363:1245-55.