DynaMed Decisions is now available via Himmelfarb Library! DynaMed Decisions is a clinical decision support system. It’s designed to enhance clinical decision-making, assist clinical providers, and strengthen patient engagement. DynaMed Decisions is available via DynaMed by switching tabs at the top of the screen, and can also be accessed directly as a standalone resource.
DynaMed Decision’s Shared Decision-Making Tools and Clinical Calculators can help clinicians and patients navigate decisions by incorporating both patient preferences and complex clinical scenarios. The decision-making tools are organized by category (e.g. cancer, bones & joints, diabetes, serious illness). Each tool is displayed in a table to indicate which type(s) of decision-making support is available:
- Tools that incorporate individual patient data for personalized results
- Tools that incorporate a risk/benefit calculator
- Tools that provide an option grid so patients and caregivers can explore the risk and benefits of different decisions.
All of the shared decision-making tools provide access to an option grid which can help clearly describe the risks and benefits of the available choices. For example, the option grid for COVID-19 Vaccine Options compares no vaccine vs Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines vs the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. For each possible choice, the grid provides brief, straightforward information on the benefits, short term side effects or harms, and long term side effects or harms.
For some decision-making tools, clinicians and patients can start with personalized information to work through the decision-making process. For example, the ‘Atrial Fibrillation Treatment Options to Lower Stroke Risk’ shared decision-making tool begins with patient information:
Based on the data provided about the patient, users can move to the assessment and guidance section which provides more customized information and recommendations:
The final portion of the shared decision-making tool allows the clinician and patient to explore outcomes based on different prospective choices in a clear graphical format, as well as view the option grid for a textual information display:
DynaMed Decisions includes tools to help clinicians share the decision-making tools with patients as well as document their use in health care records. Clinicians can generate QR codes, web links, and PDFs to share with patients. Clinicians can also generate a brief note to document the use of a decision aid in the patient’s health care record:
DynaMed Decisions also provides access to clinical calculators. These calculators are evidence-based and created by physicians to support clinician’s workflows. For example, the Pulmonary Embolism (PE): Diagnostic Evaluation in Stable Adults clinical calculator allows a clinician to enter key pieces of patient data:
Based on the individual patient’s data, the calculator will provide risk and benefit information along with clinical guidance.
DynaMed and DynaMed Decisions are available to all GW users. Users located on-site should have direct access to these resources without logging in; direct access includes access from the GW University Hospital and GW Medical Faculty Associates.
