The purpose of this section is to facilitate collaborative processes between patients, caregivers or authorized representatives, and clinicians that engages [1] the patient, caregiver or authorized representative in decisionmaking, provides [2] patients, caregivers or authorized representatives with information about trade-offs among treatment options, and facilitates [3] the incorporation of patient preferences and values into the medical plan.
The term “patient decision aid” means an educational tool that helps patients, caregivers or authorized representatives understand and communicate their beliefs and preferences related to their treatment options, and to decide with their health care provider what treatments are best for them based on their treatment options, scientific evidence, circumstances, beliefs, and preferences.
The term “preference sensitive care” means medical care for which the clinical evidence does not clearly support one treatment option such that the appropriate course of treatment depends on the values of the patient or the preferences of the patient, caregivers or authorized representatives regarding the benefits, harms and scientific evidence for each treatment option, the [4] use of such care should depend on the informed patient choice among clinically appropriate treatment options.
For purposes of supporting consensus-based standards for patient decision aids for preference sensitive care and a certification process for patient decision aids for use in the Federal health programs and by other interested parties, the Secretary shall have in effect a contract with the entity with a contract under section 1395aaa of this title. Such contract shall provide that the entity perform the duties described in paragraph (2).
As soon as practicable after March 23, 2010, the Secretary shall enter into the first contract under subparagraph (A).
The entity shall synthesize evidence and convene a broad range of experts and key stakeholders to develop and identify consensus-based standards to evaluate patient decision aids for preference sensitive care.
The entity shall review patient decision aids and develop a certification process whether [5] patient decision aids meet the standards developed and identified under subparagraph (A). The entity shall give priority to the review and certification of patient decision aids for preference sensitive care.
The Director shall ensure that patient decision aids produced with grants or contracts under this section are available to the public.
The Secretary shall establish a program to provide for the phased-in development, implementation, and evaluation of shared decisionmaking using patient decision aids to meet the objective of improving the understanding of patients of their medical treatment options.
The Secretary shall provide grants for the establishment and support of Shared Decisionmaking Resource Centers (referred to in this subsection as “Centers”) to provide technical assistance to providers and to develop and disseminate best practices and other information to support and accelerate adoption, implementation, and effective use of patient decision aids and shared decisionmaking by providers.
The Secretary shall provide grants to health care providers for the development and implementation of shared decisionmaking techniques and to assess the use of such techniques.
In order to facilitate the use of best practices, the Secretary shall provide a preference in making grants under this subsection to health care providers who participate in training by Shared Decisionmaking Resource Centers or comparable training.
Funds under this paragraph shall not be used to purchase or implement use of patient decision aids other than those certified under the process identified in subsection (c).
The Secretary may issue guidance to eligible grantees under this subsection on the use of patient decision aids.
For purposes of carrying out this section there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2010 and each subsequent fiscal year.