Medical Decision Making
A Physician's Guide

Translates the theory from the science of decision making into clinically useful tools and principles.

Alan Schwartz (Author), George Bergus (Author)

9780521697699, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 26 May 2008

232 pages, 30 b/w illus. 22 tables
23.5 x 15.6 x 1.3 cm, 0.4 kg

'As medical educators, the authors hope to bridge the gap between decision scientist and community physician. They implement clinical examples to present a version of decision making theory that many readers will find refreshing and helpful. … This book has the potential for teaching practising physicians to make good decisions and to make decisions well.' Robert M. Hamm, Doody's Notes

Decision making is a key activity, perhaps the most important activity, in the practice of healthcare. Although physicians acquire a great deal of knowledge and specialised skills during their training and through their practice, it is in the exercise of clinical judgement and its application to individual patients that the outstanding physician is distinguished. This has become even more relevant as patients become increasingly welcomed as partners in a shared decision making process. This book translates the research and theory from the science of decision making into clinically useful tools and principles that can be applied by clinicians in the field. It considers issues of patient goals, uncertainty, judgement, choice, development of new information, and family and social concerns in healthcare. It helps to demystify decision theory by emphasizing concepts and clinical cases over mathematics and computation.

Foreword
Preface
1. Goals and objectives
2. Components of health
3. The overall health state
4. Quality and quantity
5. Embracing uncertainty
6. Chance and choice
7. Confidence
8. Visualizing decisions
9. The power of information
10. Screening and testing
11. Family matters
12. Public health
13. Social values
Appendix.

Subject Areas: Epidemiology & medical statistics [MBNS], Public health & preventive medicine [MBN]