The following resources are for healthcare professionals and teams who would like to use the Care Companion to support greater patient and carer involvement in shared decision-making. See below for electronic and paper versions and supporting guides, which are free to access, download or print. To order multiple printed copies or to submit an enquiry, please contact us.
Using the Care Companion: A patient-doctor discussion
Fillable PDFs can be filled electronically and a copy printed if required.
Print-only PDFs can be printed and filled in as required.
Full Care Companion
The full version may be used to support people with serious health conditions to have honest conversations with their healthcare team and make decisions about their treatment and care.
Short Care Companion
The short version may be used if a decision needs to be made quickly, or a shorter version is preferred. It has been condensed into one double-sided A4 sheet though retains the key sections found in the full version.
Easy Care Companion
The easy version may be used if a shorter, simplified version is preferred. It has been designed using everyday words, short phrases, and clear sections. It should be completed during the clinical encounter, led by the healthcare professional or team, alongside the patient and their chosen support person.
Best Case, Worst Case Tool
This conversation tool may be used to provide information to patients and carers about what might happen over time depending on the treatment and care options they choose. It should be completed during the clinical encounter, led by the healthcare professional or team, alongside the patient and their chosen support person.
Promotional poster
This poster can be printed in A3, A4 or A5 size.
Guide for patients and carers
This guide for patients and carers provides information about shared decision-making, the Care Companion, and the key steps involved.
Guide for healthcare teams
This guide for healthcare teams provides information about shared decision-making, the Care Companion and the key steps involved.
Implementation guide for healthcare teams
This guide for healthcare teams outlines the key steps for implementing the Care Companion in their setting.
► Implementation guide for healthcare teams - interactive (PDF, 406kB)
► Implementation guide for healthcare teams - print-only (PDF, 651kB)
► Full implementation guide for healthcare teams - interactive (PDF, 374kB)
Shared decision-making guide for healthcare teams
This guide for healthcare teams outlines the key steps and conversation prompts for shared decision-making.
Event recordings
The following recordings are from the Empowering Consumers in Healthcare Event 20th June 2024 at the State Library of Queensland. This free community event sponsored by Clinical Excellence Queensland was held for consumers, consumer advocates and healthcare professionals to provide information on shared decision-making in the context of serious health conditions and at the end of life.
Recordings contain captions and feature Auslan interpreters.
► Empowering Consumers in Healthcare (full event) - 20 June 2024
Full event recording.
► The landscape of end of life
Speakers: A/Prof Carol Douglas and Ed Le Brocq.
► Supporting honest conversations - shared decision-making, decision aids and the Care Companion
Speakers: Natalie Kruger, Vanessa Ballard and Harpreet Kalsi-Smith.
Feedback
We invite patients, carers, advocates and healthcare professionals to provide feedback on the Care Companion resources and guides. Your experiences are important to us, so that we can continue to learn more about how the Care Companion is being used and how useful it has been in supporting you. To share your thoughts, experiences or suggestions, please contact us.
Contact
Healthcare Improvement Unit, Clinical Excellence Queensland
Level 2, 15 Butterfield Street, Herston, QLD, 4006
Email: HIU@health.qld.gov.au
