Perioperative shared decision-making in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand: Audit results from a complex decision pathway quality improvement initiative using a structured communication tool

Abstract

Patients presenting for elective surgery in the Bay of Plenty area in New Zealand are increasingly elderly with significant medical comorbidities. For these patients the risk-benefit balance of undergoing surgery can be complex. We recognised the need for a robust shared decision-making pathway within our perioperative medicine service. We describe the setup of a complex decision pathway within our district health board and report on the audit data from our first 49 patients. The complex decision pathway encourages surgeons to identify high-risk patients who will benefit from shared decision-making, manages input from multiple specialists as needed with excellent communication between those specialists, and provides a patient-centred approach to decision-making using a structured communication tool.