People who otherwise seek options in life often neglect to explore treatment options with their doctor. This campaign is intended to encourage patients to become more informed about their options before choosing a medical treatment.

Campaign ads highlight that consumers have options when buying clothing, dining out, watching a movie, or buying a car, and should similarly expect options when it comes to their health care. Patients are directed to www.ahrq.gov, which features personal stories from patients with chronic conditions who achieved better health results by exploring their treatment options. The site also offers a Health Priorities Snapshot tool that provides a printable list of health priorities to share with clinicians during medical appointments.

Since 2005, AHRQ's Effective Health Care program has compared the outcomes and effectiveness of different treatments and communicated findings to providers and consumers to help them make informed decisions about health care. The Treatment Options Awareness campaign complements AHRQ's existing efforts with the Ad Council Patient Involvement and Hispanic Patient Involvement which encourage patients to become more involved in their health care to achieve improved health outcomes.