Press Release
BOISE, ID, November 28, 2017—The Washington State Health Care Authority announced the certification of Healthwise decision aids as part of an effort in Washington to put evidence-based information into the hands of its residents. Certifications were awarded to two decision aids—Knee Osteoarthritis: Is It Time to Think About Surgery? and Hip Osteoarthritis: Is It Time to Think About Surgery?—that join two previously certified Healthwise decision aids about pregnancy.
Knee and hip replacement surgeries, procedures considered by millions of people every year, are the most common inpatient surgeries and often require lengthy recovery and rehabilitation periods. By 2030, the number of knee replacements is projected to grow by 673%, and hip replacement surgeries are expected to triple.
Healthwise decision aids present options in an unbiased manner, explain the risks and benefits of each option, and capture people’s values and priorities in a summary that can support a shared decision making conversation between patients and the care team. To receive certification, both decision aids met strict criteria, including steps taken to ensure zero conflicts of interest, a review of the content and cited clinical evidence, documentation of user testing, readability, and health literacy. The two certified decision aids about considering joint replacement surgery for osteoarthritis are part of a comprehensive Healthwise® Shared Decision Making Program for Orthopedics.
“It’s amazing how well health care works when people truly understand their health condition, their choices for treatment, and their own preferences for care. When this happens, people can work with their doctor to make the best health decision—one consistent with the medical facts and with their feelings and motivations,” says Adam Husney, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Healthwise. “Washington State’s innovative program helps make this shared decision approach a reality that will improve the care experience for patients and providers alike.”
Washington State recognizes the importance and positive impact of these tools and is certifying decision aids to promote patient and family engagement. Physicians in the state who use the certified aids as part of a shared decision making conversation stand to improve patient satisfaction by engaging patients in their own care and to receive higher protection against malpractice lawsuits.
Healthwise is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. People have turned to Healthwise information more than 2 billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say “no” to the care they don’t need. Healthwise partners with hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. www.healthwise.org. 1.800.706.9646