Grant: CIHR New Investigator

It is believed that a primary reason patients fail to use the treatments they are prescribed is since their physician did not involve them in the decision - and consequently they often receive a treatment where they do not consider the benefits are worth the negative aspects (side-effects, costs etc). This program of research will test whether an educational tool called a decision aid, can help physicians engage patients into the decision making process. It will evaluate whether enabling physicians to match the most appropriate treatment to each patient will result in reductions in non adherence. The clinical and economic impact will be evaluated - whether reductions in non adherence lead to better health outcomes, and whether the upfront costs of implementing a decision aid reduces downstream costs through greater adherence.