Wash. Rev. Code § 41.05.033

Shared decision-making demonstration project — Preference-sensitive care

The Washington State Health Care Authority (“authority”) must develop a “shared decision-making demonstration project” that will be conducted at select group practices that provide state purchased health care.  The authority must design the demonstration project to do the following:

•         Train and support practitioners and teams of practitioners to use decision aids for “preference-sensitive care areas.”
•         Evaluate the impact that decision aids have on shared decision making, the expenses associated with using decision aids, the effect of the project on the ability of patient’s to understand their options, and the satisfaction of both patients and practitioners with the shared decision making process.
•         Require participating practices to pay for the decision aids, including the costs of selecting and incorporating the aids.

Related Laws: Wash. Rev. Code § 41.05.039