title: Measuring critical deficits in shared decision making before elective surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identifying patient factors correlated with specific needs in preoperative decision making is of clinical and ethical importance. We examined patterns and predictors of deficiencies in informed surgical consent and shared decision-making in preoperative patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Validated measures were used to survey 1034 preoperative patients in the preoperative clinic after signed informed consent. Principal component analysis defined correlated groupings of factors. Multivariable analysis assessed patient factors associated with resultant groupings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13% of patients exhibited deficits in their informed consent process; 33% exhibited other types of deficits. Informed consent deficits included not knowing the procedure being performed or risks and benefits. Other deficits included not having addressed patient values, preferences and goals. Non-English language and lower educational level were factors correlated with higher risk for deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deficits exist in over a third of patients undergoing preoperative decision-making. Sociodemographic factors such as language and educational level identified particularly vulnerable groups at risk for having an incomplete, and possibly ineffective, decision-making process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions to identify vulnerable groups and address patient centered surgical decision making in the pre-operative setting are needed. Focused interventions to address the needs of at-risk patients have potential to improve the surgical decision-making process and reduce disparities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: Claire K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ankuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, USA; Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, USA.
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Block
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Zara
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Darin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Correll
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hepner
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Morana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lasic
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, USA; Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Atul A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gawande
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA. Electronic address: abader@partners.org.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bader
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003657:Decision Making; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004522:Educational Status; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care
keywords: Health care disparities; Shared surgical decision making