Family Medicine Physician how-to
How to Use Shared Decision-Making
Shared decisions improve care.
Quick answer
Shared decisions improve care. In short: explain; describe; discuss, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Explain the choice.
Describe options.
Discuss benefits and risks.
Ask about values.
Decide together.
Plan follow-up.
Safety reminders for family medicine physicians
- Follow infection control
- Check allergies before prescribing
- Use safe opioid prescribing
- Follow up on abnormal results
Key terms
Primary care · PCP · Preventive care · Chronic disease · A1C · Hypertension: see the full family medicine physician glossary.