Questions to determine the patient's ability to understand treatment and care options

What is your understanding of your condition?

What are the options for your situation?

What is your understanding of the benefits of treatment, and what are the odds that the treatment will work for you?

What are the risks of treatment, and what are the odds that you may have a side effect or bad outcome?

What is your understanding of what will happen if nothing is done?

Questions to determine the patient's ability to appreciate how that information applies to his or her own situation

Tell me what you really believe about your medical condition.

Why do you think your doctor has recommended (specific treatment/test) for you?

Do you think (specific treatment/test) is best for you? Why or why not?

What do you think will actually happen to you if you accept this treatment? If you don't accept it?

Questions to determine the patient's ability to reason with that information in a manner supported by the facts and the patient's own values

What factors/issues are most important to you in deciding about your treatment? What are you thinking about as you consider your decision?

How are you balancing the pluses and minuses of the treatments?

Do you trust your doctor? Why or why not?

What do you think will happen to you now?

Questions to determine the patient's ability to communicate and express a choice clearly

You have been given a lot of information about your condition. Have you decided what medical option is best for you right now?

We have discussed several choices. What do you want to do?