Shared Decision Making

Would you have a hair cut without first discussing with your hairdresser what you want? Would you buy a car without first discussing what you’re looking for? Of course not!

While clinicians are experts at explaining the risk and benefits of different treatment option, you are the expert of what is most important to you.

This is called shared decision making.

RESOURCES

Making the Most of Your Medical Appointments

When you come to Lift, you will be seen by clinicians who are trained to provide services to support you through your cancer diagnosis and treatment. In the lead up to your appointments, you may think of questions you’d like to ask. Because you are probably juggling many different medical appointments, it can be easy to forget what you’d like to discuss at your visits.

The Question Builder

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality and Health Care, in collaboration with Health Direct Australia have created a tool that will help you to make the most out of your medical appointments.

This is a tool you can use for any medical appointment you attend and is a wonderful way to ensure you are kept at the centre of your care.

If you would like more information about using the Question Builder, you can visit www.healthdirect.gov.au/question-builder 

Ask | Share | Know

If you would like more information about shared decision making, you might like to look at the Ask Share Know website. This website has resources about the 3 questions you should consider asking your health professional:

1. What are my options?

This question will encourage your doctor or nurse or other health professional to list the options you have upfront, so you have an idea of how many options there are.

There will always be at least 2 options, as one is always “wait and watch”.

2. What are the possible benefits and harms of those options?

This question asks your doctor to give you information about the different outcomes of the options you are considering.

If for example taking a course of antibiotics is an option, the benefits may include a quicker recovery, while the harms may include diarrhoea or nausea and vomiting.

3. How likely are each of those benefits and harms to happen to me?

This question asks for even more detail about the benefits and harms you now know about. What is the probability that you will experience the benefit or harms of the options?

The answer to this question will take into account things like your medical history, individual risk factors and lifestyle preferences.

http://www.askshareknow.com.au/ask-questions/ask/

Complaints Process

If you need to contact our Consumer Liaison to report a complaint we will respond in a timely manner. To help us resolve the matter in the most satisfactory way, please be ready to share the following information: 

• the nature of your complaint

• the name(s) of the person(s) involved

• the date on which the problem occurred

• any ideas about how you would like us to help.

A Consumer Liaison will investigate your concerns. This may include:

• asking your permission to start the investigation if someone else is calling on your behalf

• talking with you and/or your family so that we understand your concerns

• contacting and talking with the person(s) named in your concerns

• reviewing all appropriate documents, including your medical record, if necessary

• working with you to resolve the problem.

Providing Feedback

Feedback is a valuable source of information at Lift Cancer Care Services. All patients, family and friends have the right to complain or question any part of their healthcare.

If you are worried about any part of your care, please tell a staff member straight away. Our staff will work with you to resolve your concerns straight away. If your concerns continue or you feel they have not been resolved, you can contact our Consumer Liaison.

All our patients have access to the Consumer Liaison. The Consumer Liaison will listen to what you have to say and discuss any concerns you may have.

Your discussion with our Consumer Liaison will be fed back to the areas concerned, as this enables us to improve our service. However if you don’t wish your details to be shared your feedback can remain anonymous through out this process.

The Consumer Liaison will look into your concerns and assist in resolving them. You will receive a response about the outcomes of the investigation.

To contact the Consumer Liaison:

• call 08 7231 8000

• email admin@liftcancercare.com.au

• complete the form 'Tell us what you think' below

• post your feedback to:

Consumer Liaison, Lift Cancer Care Services

520 South Road, Kurralta Park SA 5037

If we have tried to resolve your concerns but you are still unhappy with the result, you may seek help from the Office of the Health Service Commissioner.

The Office of the Health Service Commissioner is an independent and impartial government authority. This office helps protect your right of access to your health information.You can contact the Office of the Health Service Commissioner on 1300 582 113.

Tell us what you think

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights allows patients, consumers, families, carers and service providers to have a common understanding of the rights of people receiving health care .

You can learn more by clicking this link.

The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights describes the rights of patients and other people using the Australian system. These rights are essential to makes sure that, whatever and whenever healthcare is provided, it is of high quality and is safe.

The charter recognises that the people receiving care and people providing care all have important parts to play in achieving healthcare rights. The charter allows patients, consumers, families, carers and services providing healthcare to share an understanding of the rights of people receiving healthcare. This helps everyone to work together towards a safe and high quality health system.

Lift is a fully accredited Day Hospital with The Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS)

The National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards were developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, in collaboration with the Australian Government, states and territories, private sector providers, clinical experts, patients and carers. The primary aims of these Standards are to protect the public from harm and to improve the quality of health service provision. These Standards provide a nationally consistent statement about the level of care consumers can expect from such health services.

Learn more here