An introduction to patient decision aids.

Patient decision aids are a means of helping people make informed choices about healthcare that take into account their personal values and preferences. Decision aids are a part of a shared decision-making process, encouraging active participation by patients in healthcare decisions.(1,2) Decision aids are relevant in many common healthcare decisions. They have been developed to make it easier for patients and healthcare professionals to discuss treatment options. Here, we give an overview of the rationale for the use of patient decision aids, what they contain, the evidence of their efficacy and examples of their current and potential uses.