Capsules: Study: Decision aids show promise in reducing medical procedures

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Ankita Rao reports: "While policymakers debate whether doctors should be paid by the number of services they provide or the outcomes of their treatment, shared decision could have an impact on the ground by reducing demand for medical procedures. A new Health Affairs report about decision aids, materials given to patients to help educate them about treatment options, shows that they can help hold down costs" (Rao, 9/5).