BOISE, ID--(Marketwired - September 29, 2015) - For the first time, Medicare has linked provider reimbursement to documentation of a shared-decision-making (SDM) conversation -- in this case, about lung cancer screening. The new rule means that financial incentives are in place to encourage patient engagement in the decision about screening. Healthwise, a nonprofit provider of health education, recently announced the addition of a new interactive decision aid, "Lung Cancer: Should I Have Screening?" to continue supporting the SDM needs of health plans, care management companies, and hospitals.

Approximately 10 million Americans now qualify for annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans to screen for lung cancer under the eligibility criteria. Lung cancer screening can lower the risk of death from lung cancer for current and former heavy smokers, but screening isn't necessarily right for every eligible patient. Making an informed decision about screening involves weighing the pros and cons, taking into consideration a person's age, life expectancy, and preferences, as well as the risk of overdiagnosis and false-positive results.

"Deciding about lung cancer screening is complicated, even for those who qualify for annual screening through the Medicare program," said Diana Stilwell, vice president of shared decision making solution strategy at Healthwise. "That's why decision support material is so crucial in helping patients work with their providers to make a decision that's right for them."

All Healthwise health education content goes through a rigorous medical review process, led by Chief Medical Officer Martin J. Gabica, MD, and supported by members of the Healthwise Medical Review Board. These reviewers are nationally recognized specialists and internists who are free from any conflicts of interest and whose credentials include board certification, academic appointments at the nation's leading medical schools, active involvement in research, and publication in peer-reviewed journals and medical textbooks.

The 2014 merger between Healthwise and the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation gives the combined organization decades of experience in planning and implementing quality-improvement projects and SDM programs in diverse clinical settings. Healthwise extends this experience with services that help organizations implement health education content into workflows, a critical component of an SDM program.

"Lung Cancer: Should I Have Screening?" joins a suite of 174 Healthwise^® Decision Points, available as part of the Healthwise® Shared Decision Making Solution, which also includes the Healthwise^® Video Library and Healthwise^® Shared Decision Making Skills Course.

About Healthwise
Healthwise is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. In 2014, Healthwise merged with the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation to further advance the mission. People have turned to Healthwise information more than 1.5 billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say "no" to the care they don't need. Healthwise partners with hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. www.healthwise.org. 1.800.706.9646.

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