The healthcare buffet: preferences in the clinical decision-making process for patients with musculoskeletal pain

ABSTRACT

The preferences a person has for care are associated with outcomes for patients presenting with musculoskeletal pain conditions. These include preferences for differing levels of involvement in the decision-making process, preferences for the provider attributes, and preferences for particular interventions. In this paper, we discuss these various forms of preference, as well as how they influence clinical care within shared decision-making frameworks. We also present a conceptual framing for how patient preferences can be incorporated in clinical decision-making by orthopedic manual physical therapists. Finally, research implications for interpreting findings from clinical studies are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Manual therapy
• orthopedic
• shared decision-making
• pain
• musculoskeletal

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [R01AT006334]; National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [R01AT006334].