Shared Decision-Making and Patient-Centred Care - From Paternalism to Partnership in Medicine Part Models of Doctor-Patient Relations

Patients expect more information than they get and a higher degree of participation concerning decisions about their treatment. Shared decision-making is the most advanced model of patient centred care. The first part of this two-part series offers a description of the shared decision-making model in comparison to traditional models of doctor-patient communication and an account of the attitude of doctors and patients towards sharing decisions. The second part deals with risk communication and the validity of the knowledge base of medicine as prerequisites for shared decision-making. Finally, the consequences of shared decision-making for treatment decisions and treatment outcomes are delineated outlined.