Insight
Improving patient engagement through shared decision making
In 2021, Beth Israel Lahey Health and BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts began to focus on the idea that doctors and patients should have equal weight in deciding on health-related procedures. It’s a concept known as shared decision making. Research shows that shared decision making supports the notion that if a patient is engaged in their care, they’re more likely to follow through on preventative cancer screenings and improve their own self management of their care.