Preference-sensitive treatment decisions involve making value trade-offs between benefits
and harms that should depend on informed patient choice. There is strong evidence that
patient decision aids not only improve decision quality but also prevent the overuse of
options that informed patients do not value. This paper discusses progress in implementing
decision aids and the policy prospects for reaching a “tipping point” in the adoption of
“informed patient choice” as a standard of practice.

These programs usually include a series of meetings or other interactions in which
participants can share lessons and best practices. Several articles offer insight as to what
occurs in these collaboratives and how they improve quality of care. Landon et al report
changes at 44 centers that participated in the national Health Disparities Collaborative and
20 that did not. The purpose of this collaborative was to improve quality of care at community
centers that treat high proportions of racial and ethnic minority patients. The authors found�…