Shared Decision-Making and Dialysis Choice

The dialysis coordinators were trained in the why, what and how in relation to SDM-DC and to deliver the intervention by tailoring to patients' needs and using three different communication skills: mirroring, active listening and value clarification. The patient decision aid was designed to be utilised during and between the SDM-DC meetings. The patient decision aid is in paper format and consists of a set of tools: a decision map, an overview of uremic symptoms, an overview of options, and the Ottawa Personal Decision Guide. More specifically, the patient decision aid makes explicit the dialysis decision, describes options, benefits and harms using the best available evidence, and intends to help patients clarify their values by indicating the importance of the benefits and harms out of scale from (0) to (5). Four videos with personal stories were available to be shown and discussed at the meetings if the patient preferred to see the reason why another patient has chosen a specific option. Each video showed one option with a patient telling why he/she chose that option, and how he/she weighed the advantages and disadvantages.