Online Decision Aids Save Money and Improve Compliance

A recent Wall Street Journal Article talks about the role of electronic shared decision making tools in improving treatment compliance and reducing costs. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203674704574328570637446770.html?mod=djemHL)

The article speaks to the growing body of research which shows that both patients and providers benefit when patients are well informed and play a significant role in deciding how they are going to treat or manage their health conditions. When patients are informed of their treatment options and participate in the treatment decisions, they are more likely to stick with the treatment regimens and have more confidence in the treatment plan.

Decision-aid programs appear to save money in the long run. Studies show that when patients understand their choices and share in the decision-making process with their doctors, they tend to choose less-invasive and less-expensive treatments than they would have otherwise received.

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