Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice

Screening, case finding and prevention principles

Shared decision making

Guidelines for preventive activities in general practice
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Shared decision making

Taking a shared decision making approach is important when making screening decisions. Shared decision making does not necessary require the use of decision tools; however, these can be useful.1,2 Shared decision making provides a collaborative approach in which the GP and patient jointly discuss:

  • available treatment options (including the option of ‘no active treatment’ where it is appropriate)
  • the potential benefits of each option
  • the potential harms of each option
  • the patient’s individual values, preferences and circumstances.3,4
  1. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Management of type 2 diabetes: A handbook for general practice. RACGP, 2020 [Accessed 16 October 2023].
  2. Branda M, LeBlanc A, Shah ND, et al. Shared decision making for patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized trial in primary care. BMC Health Serv Res 2013;13:301. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-301.
  3. Del Mar C, Hoffmann T, Bakhit M. How can general practitioners reduce antibiotic prescribing in collaboration with their patients? Aust J Gen Pract 2022;51(1–2):25–30. doi: 10.31128/AJGP-07-21-6084.
  4. Hoffmann TC, Légaré F, Simmons MB, et al. Shared decision making: What do clinicians need to know and why should they bother? Med J Aust 2014;201(1):35–39. doi: 10.5694/mja14.00002.
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