Society for Medical Decision Making

The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care Building at Prince of Wales Hospital
Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong

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Much of modern medical education and research has been devoted to preventing and treating illnesses and delaying death. In comparison, there has been little attention in teaching, practising, policy making and research into patients’ death and dying – something that most health professionals face in their work; and ultimately, a reality that we all face. In medicalising the aging, terminally ill, death and dying, many discussions of end of life (EOL) decisions are ‘medicine’ focused resulting in aggressive therapies that shorten patients’ lives instead of improving them, particularly when surrounded by many uncertainties. Instead, having the best practices to adopt, implement and enable ‘person’ or ‘patient’‐ oriented decision making, can enhance people’s EOL with fulfilment, satisfaction, autonomy and dignity.

This conference will offer pre-conference short-courses in the general principles of medical decision making. The general program will offer a symposium and research study presentations focused on decision making in the context of public health and medicine geared towards the interests of (1) clinicians and health professionals, (2) government policymakers, regulators and funders, and (3) researchers and consumers interested in health policy and medical decision making.