Biomaterial Database

[Dealing with uncertainty in general medical practice]. 2008

Norbert Donner-Banzhoff

Abteilung für Allgemeinmedizin, Präventive und Rehabilitative Medizin, Philipps-Universität Marburg. Norbert@med.uni-marburg.de

Uncertainty is ever-present when doctors make decisions. For general practitioners (GPs) the task of diagnosing and prognosing is particularly difficult. They are faced with a broad range of unselected patients and their problems. For this particular task they have developed strategies that are adapted to the ecology of their practice. Some of these rules and heuristics are intended to reduce the likelihood of harm to the patient, e.g. missing a serious disease. Others help doctors and their patients to deal with uncertainty on a subjective level. Cognitive processes of practicing doctors are still far from being elucidated. However, reflecting on their work will help professionals improve their development and the quality of their work.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010817	Physician-Patient Relations	The interactions between physician and patient.	Doctor-Patient Relations,Doctor Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relations,Physician Patient Relationship,Doctor Patient Relation,Doctor-Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relation,Physician Patient Relationships,Physician-Patient Relation,Relation, Doctor Patient,Relation, Doctor-Patient,Relation, Physician Patient,Relation, Physician-Patient,Relations, Doctor Patient,Relations, Doctor-Patient,Relations, Physician Patient,Relations, Physician-Patient,Relationship, Physician Patient,Relationships, Physician Patient
D010821	Physicians, Family	Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians.	Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D003327	Coronary Disease	An imbalance between myocardial functional requirements and the capacity of the CORONARY VESSELS to supply sufficient blood flow. It is a form of MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA (insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle) caused by a decreased capacity of the coronary vessels.	Coronary Heart Disease,Coronary Diseases,Coronary Heart Diseases,Disease, Coronary,Disease, Coronary Heart,Diseases, Coronary,Diseases, Coronary Heart,Heart Disease, Coronary,Heart Diseases, Coronary
D003657	Decision Making	The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.	Credit Assignment,Assignment, Credit,Assignments, Credit,Credit Assignments
D005194	Family Practice	A medical specialty concerned with the provision of continuing, comprehensive primary health care for the entire family.	Family Practices,Practice, Family,Practices, Family
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D035501	Uncertainty	The condition in which reasonable knowledge regarding risks, benefits, or the future is not available.