Doctors need to ensure patients are informed, involved in the decision making process, and that the final decision aligns with what is most important to the patient. Measuring decision quality helps evaluate support strategies, assess provider support of patients facing medical decisions, and ensures informed patient input is included. The key elements of measuring decision quality are that patients know key facts, doctors meaningfully involve patients, and the decision aligns with patient priorities.

1. What Makes a Good Medical
Decision?
Jack Fowler
Senior Scientific Advisor
March 21, 2013

2. Why Measure Decision Quality?
• 1. To evaluate different strategies for
supporting decision making
• 2. To assess how well providers are supporting
patients faced with decisions
• 3. To help providers ensure that decisions
include informed patient input
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3. What are the Key Elements of Measuring
Decision Quality?
• Patients know key facts
• Doctors meaningfully involve patients in
decision making process
• Decision aligns with what is most important
to patients
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4. TODAY’S EXPERTS
Floyd J. Fowler Jr., Karen R. Sepucha, Dale Collins Vidal, MD
PhD PhD Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Informed Medical Massachusetts General Medical Center,
Decisions Foundation Hospital Dartmouth College