Division of Population Science

Decision counseling is a process that enables patients to learn about important health care decisions and available options; identify personal factors that are likely to influence choice; weigh the influence of relevant factors; clarify personal preference; and encourage development and implementation of a preference-sensitive action plan. Outcomes of decision counseling may include;

• Increased patient and provider awareness and understanding of available healthcare options.
• Increased provider awareness and understanding of patient preferences.
• Increased patient engagement in shared decision making.
• Increased patient adherence to preference sensitive decision.
• Increased patient and provider satisfaction.
• Decreased time required by providers for patient education and counseling.
• Improved clinical outcomes.

The Center is currently conducting research on lung cancer screening and blood-based colorectal cancer screening. These efforts are described below:

Decision Counseling about Lung Cancer Screening

The MAPPS Study: The Mid-Atlantic Provider and Patient Support  (MAPPS) in Lung Cancer Screening Study is a multi-site project that includes 4 health systems: Christiana Care Health System, Thomas Jefferson University, Lehigh Valley Health Network, and Penn State Health. The study aims to test the combined and separate effects of provider support and patient outreach on: 

• SDM about lung cancer screening (LCS)
• LCS completion among eligible patients

Decision Counseling about Having Follow-up Colonoscopy among Persons With an Abnormal Blood-Based Cancer Screening Test Result

The DCaF Study: The Decision Counseling and Follow-up (DCaF) project is being conducted with Guardant Health to help patients make a decision about a follow-up colonoscopy after receiving a positive Sheild test result. The main goals of the DCaF study are to:

• Help patients with a positive blood-based colorectal cancer screening test result decide about adherence to a follow-up colonoscopy
• Identify factors associated with adherence to follow-up colonoscopy

The Center offers online and in-person training in decision counseling. Specific training programs ae shown below:

• Decision Counseling about Lung Cancer Screening
• Decision Counseling about Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Decision Counseling about Genetic Testing

If you would like access to any of our services, please contact the Center for Health Decisions at DecisionCounseling@jefferson.edu.

Please include a description of the intended use of the service.

• Research Consultation 
• Decision Counseling Courses 
• Access to Decision Counseling Guides

• Jefferson Decision Counseling Guide
  
• Basic Decision Couseling Guide
• Lung Cancer Screening (No Symptoms) Infographic
• Sheild Test Infographic

Please contact the department for more information 215-503-7801, for more information about, or to access, the Jefferson Decision Counseling Application.