2014 Joint COA/AOA Meeting: Do Patient Decision Aids Reduce Wait Times and Improve Quality of Decisions for Patients Considering Total Joint Arthroplasty (TJA)? A Randomized Controlled Trial

334 patients with osteoarthritis and considering total hip or knee arthroplasty were randomized to receive either patient decision aids and usual education, or usual education alone, prior to surgical consultation. This study aimed to determine whether decision aids improved wait times, surgery rates, and decision quality compared to usual education. Results indicated shorter wait times, lower surgery rates, although differences failed to reach statistical significant. Patients in the decision aid group felt more informed about the benefits and risks of surgery, as well as the importance of personal values in decision-making. However, certainty in which option was the best choice was similar between groups.