Clinician Attempts at Shared Decision Making Fall Short of Recommendations

​When it comes to shared decision making for lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography (CT), the difference between how it is practiced by clinicians and how recommendations say it should be practiced is troubling, according to an original investigation published in the October 2018 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends lung cancer screening for current and former smokers at a high risk for lung cancer, but advises that shared decision making should occur before screening. Their recommendation says clinicians should discuss the benefits and harms of low-dose CT with patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires shared decision making to occur with the use a decision aid as a prerequisite for coverage of lung cancer screening.