Decision support tools, also called patient decision aids, support shared decision making by making treatment, care and support options explicit. They provide evidence-based information about the associated benefits/harms and help patients to consider what matters most to them in relation to the possible outcomes, including doing nothing.

• Why decision support tools?
• How to use a decision support tool
• Evaluating the impact of using decision support tools

Decision support tools: making a decision about a health condition

These decision support tools are designed to support shared decision making between people and a clinician. People may find they are useful before, during or between consultations depending on their care pathway.

• Bipolar disorder – is valproate the right treatment for me
• Is valproate the right epilepsy treatment for me?
• Making a decision about carpal tunnel syndrome
• Making a decision about cataracts
• Making a decision about Dupuytren’s contracture
• Making a decision about further treatment for atrial fibrillation
• Making a decision about glaucoma
• Making a decision about hip osteoarthritis
• Making a decision about knee osteoarthritis
• Making a decision about wet age-related macular degeneration

These tools have been developed in accordance with The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence standards framework for shared decision making support tools, including patient decision aids.

There is also a very helpful short video that introduces the MSK DSTs including their purpose and content.

We will continue to build on this suite of tools and publish as they become available.