Health innovations in patient decision support: Bridging the gaps and challenges

Patient decision aids (PDAs) help to support patients in making an informed and value-based decision. Despite advancement in decision support technologies over the past 30 years, most PDAs are still inaccessible and few address individual needs. Health innovation may provide a solution to bridge the...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ng, Chirk Jenn, Lee, Y.K., Lee, P.Y., Abdullah, K.L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Australasian Medical Journal 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/10196/1/Ng-2013-Health_innovations_i.pdf
Description
Summary:Patient decision aids (PDAs) help to support patients in making an informed and value-based decision. Despite advancement in decision support technologies over the past 30 years, most PDAs are still inaccessible and few address individual needs. Health innovation may provide a solution to bridge these gaps. Information and computer technology provide a platform to incorporate individual profiles and needs into PDAs, making the decision support more personalised. Health innovation may enhance accessibility by using mobile, tablet and Internet technologies; make risk communication more interactive; and identify patient values more effectively. In addition, using databases to capture patient data and the usage of PDAs can help: developers to improve PDAs� design; clinicians to facilitate the decisionmaking process more effectively; and policy makers to make shared decision making more feasible and cost-effective. Health innovation may hold the key to advancing PDAs by creating a more personalised and effective decision support tool for patients making healthcare decisions.