Memo – Shared Decision-Making Policy

Memo – Shared Decision-Making Policy

Memorandum

To: Medical Staff

From: Health Care Administrator

CC: Other recipients

Subject: The SHARE Policy

Greetings,

Summary

There have been numerous complaints from patients and their family members in the recent past. The most prominent of these complaints is the lack of an opportunity to participate in treatment and health options. This issue signals the lack of shared decision-making in the facility. The facility’s decision-making policy highlights that shared decision-making is a priority. However, its actual implementation lacks and could lead to compliance-related issues with the respective health agencies. The failure to implement shared decision-making also affects the patient’s right to informed consent.

Patient autonomy is one of the ethical principles guiding medical practice (Olejarczyk & Young, 2021). Informed consent is a right that patients enjoy since physicians began to advocate for this right during the 19^th century. The right to informed consent influences the patients’ autonomy. A client can either refuse or agree to a certain treatment depending on the information that is provided. Informed consent is based on several aspects, including disclosure, competence, consent, voluntariness, and understanding (Sedig, 2016).

This failure to uphold shared decision-making is an ethical violation. The law recognizes the patients informed consent in all related health decisions and requires all healthcare practitioners to observe the ethical principle and patients’ rights (British Medical Association, 2020).

The importance of upholding shared decision-making is ensuring that patients have information regarding their options as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these treatment alternatives. In addition, the decision-making practice enables the team to use the patient’s objectives and treatment preferences as guidance for the decision-making process. As physicians and nurses, we are best placed to ensure that our patients have access to the necessary information related to their health (Sedig, 2016). This is especially true because we are aware of the recent health developments, interventions, and treatments that could positively improve health outcomes.

Solutions

SHARE policy

• Seek the patient’s participation
• Help the patient explore various treatment options
• Assess their preferences/values
• Reach a decision with the patient
• Evaluate the decision with the patient

Informing patients of the need to participate actively in the decision-making processes is important whenever the patients check-in. This approach enables healthcare providers to inform patients and their families about their rights (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020).

The facility should also conduct training on ethical principles and patients’ rights. Training staff members on the patient’s autonomy, informed consent, legal aspects, importance, and incorporation into practice are necessary to avoid negative consequences.

Besides training, the facility should conduct patient awareness creation campaigns. These internal campaigns should take patients through their rights and roles in making decisions together with the healthcare practitioners. This understanding should promote the active participation of patients in the decision-making process.

Implications and benefits

The process of ensuring that shared decision-making is practiced offers a variety of benefits. First, it enables doctors and nurses to uphold an ethical principle of care. Secondly, it enables patients to be involved in the process of care. Thirdly, it averts any litigations that may arise from failure to uphold shared decision-making.

The implications of the solutions include financial costs that are incurred in training. The need for human resources to take part in the awareness programs. In addition, the likelihood of delay while making decisions may arise due to the need to comply by involving patients and their families or advocates.

 Conclusion

Patients’ rights are important ethical aspects of medical practice. Complying with these ethical principles is a professional obligation for doctors and physicians. Failure to observe shared decision-making interferes with the right to informed consent. As healthcare providers, we are responsible for ensuring that these rights and ethical obligations are upheld.

References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2020). The SHARE Approach—Essential Steps of Shared Decisionmaking: Quick Reference Guide. Retrieved from AHRQ: https://www.ahrq.gov/health-literacy/professional-training/shared-decision/tools/resource-1.html

British Medical Association. (2020). Autonomy or self-determination as a medical student. Retrieved from https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/ethics/medical-students/ethics-toolkit-for-medical-students/autonomy-or-self-determination

Olejarczyk, J. P., & Young, M. (2021). Patient Rights And Ethics. StatPearls[Internet].

Sedig, L. (2016). What’s the Role of Autonomy in Patient- and Family-Centered Care When Patients and Family Members Don’t Agree? AMA Journal of Ethics.

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Research and find an instance of a policy compliance issue that has occurred in an organization related to the field you are pursuing as your career (Government, Nonprofit, Health). Find an issue that has enough detail for you to do a thorough examination of the policy and the compliance issues involved. Review the policy compliance issue that occurred and offer an update to the policy in the form of a policy memo and an evaluation of the issue by doing the following:
Part I:
Analyze the problem you chose and write a 500-750-word policy memo that proposes improvements to the policy to better address the problem and improve the compliance issues. Be concise and follow the general structure of a policy memo. At a minimum, your policy memo should contain the following:
• A title
• A summary of the problem
• At least three possible solutions
• Statement and explanation of the recommended solution with rationale
• The implications and benefits of the recommended policy
• Brief conclusion
• At least three sources used to support claims
• Graphics and/or other visual elements that reflect the formatting of a professional policy memo