The decision practices described on this website are based on principles that have proven effective in improving various measures of decision quality. For example, the Cochrane Collaboration has conducted meta-analyses of decision aids and consultation support in health care, and concluded that these are significantly beneficial for patients.
Selected Bibliography of Articles Relevant to Consultation Planning, Recording, and Summarizing
General Needs Assessment
1. Rutten, L.J., et al., Information needs and sources of information among cancer patients: a systematic review of research (1980-2003). Patient Educ Couns, 2005. 57(3): p. 250-61.
2. Hack, T.F., L.F. Degner, and P.A. Parker, The communication goals and needs of cancer patients: a review. Psychooncology, 2005. 14(10): p. 831-45; discussion 846-7.
Systematic Reviews of communication support
3. McClement, S.E. and T.F. Hack, Audio-taping the oncology treatment consultation: a literature review. Patient Educ Couns, 1999. 36(3): p. 229-38.
4. Harrington, J., L.M. Noble, and S.P. Newman, Improving patients' communication with doctors: a systematic review of intervention studies. Patient Educ Couns, 2004. 52(1): p. 7-16.
5. Griffin, S.J., et al., Effect on health-related outcomes of interventions to alter the interaction between patients and practitioners: a systematic review of trials. Ann Fam Med, 2004. 2(6): p. 595-608.
6. Scott, J.T., et al., Recordings or summaries of consultations for people with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003(2) CD001539.
7. Murray E, et al., Interactive Health Communication Applications for people with chronic disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2005 (4): CD004274.
8. Kinnersley P, Edwards A, Hood K, Cadbury N, Ryan R, Prout H, Owen D, MacBeth F, Butow P, Butler C. Interventions before consultations for helping patients address their information needs. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews: Reviews 2007 Issue 3 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd Chichester, UK DOI:
Selected Studies of visit preparation or consultation support
9. Roter, D.L., Patient participation in the patient-provider interaction: the effects of patient question asking on the quality of interaction, satisfaction and compliance. Health Educ Monogr, 1977. 5(4): p. 281-315.
10. Greenfield, S., S. Kaplan, and J. Ware, Expanding Patient Involvement in Care: Effects on Patient Outcomes. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1985. 102: p. 520-528.
11. Greenfield, S., Kaplan S, et al., Patient's Participation in Medical Care: Effects on Blood Sugar Control and Quality of Life in Diabetes. Journal of Internal Medicine, 1988. 3(Sept/Oct): p. 448-457.
12. Butow, P.N., et al., Patient participation in the cancer consultation: evaluation of a question prompt sheet. Ann Oncol, 1994. 5(3): p. 199-204.
13. Brown, R., et al., Promoting patient participation in the cancer consultation: evaluation of a prompt sheet and coaching in question-asking. Br J Cancer, 1999. 80(1-2): p. 242-8.
14. Brown, R.F., et al., Promoting patient participation and shortening cancer consultations: a randomised trial. Br J Cancer, 2001. 85(9): p. 1273-9.
15. Tattersall, M.H., Consultation audio-tapes: an information aid, and a quality assurance and research tool. Support Care Cancer, 2002. 10(3): p. 217-21.
Articles relevant to UCSF Decision Services' implementation of decision support programs
16. Belkora, Mindful Collaboration: Prospect Mapping as an Action Research Approach to Planning for Medical Consultations, Department of Engineering-Economic Systems and Operations Research. 1997, Stanford University: Stanford. Available from the UMI dissertation archive.
17. Sepucha, K, Belkora, J, Mutchnick, S, and Esserman, L, Consultation Planning to Help Patients Prepare for Medical Consultations: Effect on Communication and Satisfaction for Patients and Physicians. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2002. 20: p. 2695-2700
18. Sepucha, K, Belkora, J, Mutchnick, S, and Esserman, L, Consultation Planning to Help Patients Prepare for Medical Consultations: Effect on Communication and Satisfaction for Patients and Physicians. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2002. 20: p. 2695-2700.
19. Sepucha, KR, Belkora, JK, Aviv, C, Mutchnik, S, and Esserman, LJ, Improving the quality of decision making in breast cancer: consultation planning template and consultation recording template. Oncol Nurs Forum, 2003. 30: p. 99-106
20. Belkora, J. Use of the Decision Dialogue Process for Improving the Quality of Medical Decisions. in HIC 2003: Eleventh National Health Informatics Conference. 2003. Auckland, New Zealand. http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=936349164604705;res=E-LIBRARY
21. Belkora, J, Katapodi, M, Moore, D, Franklin, L, Hopper, K, and Esserman, L, Evaluation of a visit preparation intervention implemented in two rural, underserved counties of Northern California. Patient Educ Couns, 2006. 64: p. 350-9. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07383991
22. Sepucha, K and Belkora, J, Putting shared decision making to work in breast and prostate cancers: tools for community oncologists. Commun Oncol, 2007. 4: p. 685–689, 691. http://www.communityoncology.net/journal/articles/0411685.pdf
23. Belkora, J, Edlow, B, Aviv, C, Sepucha, K, and Esserman, L, Training community resource center and clinic personnel to prompt patients in listing questions for doctors: follow-up interviews about barriers and facilitators to the implementation of Consultation Planning. Implementation Science, 2008. 3:6 http://www.implementationscience/com/content/3/1/6
24. Belkora J, Rugo HS, Moore DH, Hutton D, and Esserman L, Risk communication with patients with breast cancer: cautionary notes about printing Adjuvant! estimates. Lancet Oncol, 2008. 9: p. 602-3. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS147020450870158X/abstract
25. Belkora JK, Loth MK, Chen DF, Chen JY, Volz S, and Esserman LJ, Monitoring the Implementation of Consultation Planning, Recording, and Summarizing in a Breast Care Center. Patient Educ Couns, 2008. In Press
26. Hutton D, Belkora J, Shachter R, and Moore D, Are patients getting the "gist" in risk communication: patient knowledge of breast cancer therapy prognosis. Journal of Cancer Education, 2008. In Press.