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Some of the most critical and difficult decisions people face involve their health. Patient educators and counselors play a key role in helping individuals to make these decisions. This decision-making role is central to the definition of patient education and counseling which emphasizes individualized and collaborative problem solving and the active participation of patients in their health care [1]. The articles in this special collection on patient decision-making provide but a few examples of the many types of decisions patient educators are called upon to help patients make; decisions concerning reproduction, medication adherence, seeking medical care, and informed consent.