Shared Decision Making and Preference-Sensitive Conditions
Summary
To get the best care, it helps if you and your doctor make decisions together. The process is called “shared decision making.” This article suggests ways to talk to your doctor about three common health problems where there may be no clear, “right” option. They are uterine fibroids, type 2 diabetes and slow-growing prostate cancer. These are examples of preference-sensitive conditions.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus (or womb). They’re usually noncancerous.
Questions to ask your doctor. Some key questions include how many fibroids you have, what are their size and where they’re located.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It’s more common in adults.
Questions to ask your doctor. One key question is how to control your diet and lifestyle in a healthy way. It’s also important to find out your goals for your blood sugar levels and how often you should check them. If your doctor has prescribed you insulin or other medication, you also may want to find out about side effects.
Slow-Growing Prostate Cancer
Some doctors describe prostate cancer as “slow growing” if it’s found only in the prostate and is likely to grow only very slowly or not at all.
Questions to ask your doctor. Some questions include finding out if early detection leads to better outcomes and what symptoms to look out for if you do have any.
Decision Aids
Decision aids are tools used in shared decision making to show you different medical treatment choices for your health problem. Thanks to a grant from the New York State Health Foundation, we’ll be featuring decision aids with clinical and cost information for uterine fibroids, type 2 diabetes and slow-growing prostate cancer on our consumer website in spring 2022.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus (or womb). They’re usually noncancerous. Many women have uterine fibroids at some point. Some may have pain and heavy menstrual bleeding. Others may have no symptoms and not even know they have uterine fibroids.
Treatment options. Treatment for uterine fibroids depends on your symptoms. If you have mild symptoms, your doctor may suggest taking medication such as low-dose birth control pills. If you have severe symptoms, like heavy bleeding or pressure in the pelvis, your doctor may recommend certain procedures like surgery as the best way to treat them.
Questions to ask your doctor. There are several important questions to ask your doctor if you have uterine fibroids. Some key questions include how many fibroids you have, what are their size and where they’re located. It’s a good idea to work with your doctor to determine the best treatment option and understand if there are any problems uterine fibroids may cause.
Your Action Plan: Use Shared Decision Making with Your Healthcare Provider
- Learn about shared decision making and collaborating with your provider.
- Understand your preference-sensitive condition.
- Write down questions to ask your provider.
- Find out more about decision aids for your condition.