Do patients want to be involved in treatment decisions

Kamaruddin Ahmad¹, Kevin Moissinac²,Boon Chong Se To¹

1. Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital Pulau Pinang

2. Department of Medical Sciences, University Putra Malaysia

CITATION: Kamaruddin Ahmad, Kevin Moissinac, Boon Chong Se To. Do patients want to be involved in treatment decisions. International Medical Research Journal. 1998;2(2):89–91. 

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ABSTRACT

In recent years, the increased accessibility to information has resulted in patients and their relatives becoming more familiar with medical issues and perhaps desiring a more prominent role in treatment decisions. A study of the extent of involvement that orthopaedic patients wanted in decisions regarding their treatment showed that the majority (84%) wanted significant decisions regarding their treatment to rest with their attending doctor. Whether this is characteristic when an individual assumes the sick role or a result of being inadequately informed remains to be determined.

KEYWORDS: Patient involvement, treatment decisions, treatment choice