Biomaterial Database

Analysis of medical decision making: a cognitive perspective on medical informatics. 1995

A Kushniruk, and V Patel, and D Fleiszer

Cognitive Studies in Medicine: Centre for Medical Education, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The improved support of complex medical decision making will require a greater understanding of the cognitive processes of physicians. Decision making in medicine often involves the careful weighing of uncertain and ill-structured information from various sources. In this paper a cognitive approach to analyzing complex intensive care decision making is outlined. The study described involved the presentation of case descriptions of systematically varied complexity, to two levels of physicians: intensive care residents (intermediates) and intensive care specialists (experts). Subjects were asked to "think aloud" in providing treatment and management decisions for the cases. The audiotaped protocols were then analyzed for the use of decision strategies and for key aspects of decision making. It was found that expert subjects tended to focus on developing a more refined situational analysis of the decision problem. The study results are being used in the design of a system for aiding physicians in making complex decisions in intensive care medicine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008297	Male		Males
D011655	Pulmonary Embolism	Blocking of the PULMONARY ARTERY or one of its branches by an EMBOLUS.	Pulmonary Thromboembolism,Thromboembolism, Pulmonary,Embolism, Pulmonary,Embolisms, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Embolisms,Pulmonary Thromboembolisms,Thromboembolisms, Pulmonary
D011859	Radiography	Examination of any part of the body for diagnostic purposes by means of X-RAYS or GAMMA RAYS, recording the image on a sensitized surface (such as photographic film).	Radiology, Diagnostic X-Ray,Roentgenography,X-Ray, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X-Ray,Diagnostic X-Ray Radiology,X-Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X Ray,Diagnostic X Ray Radiology,Diagnostic X-Rays,Radiology, Diagnostic X Ray,X Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,X Ray, Diagnostic,X-Rays, Diagnostic
D011877	Radionuclide Imaging	The production of an image obtained by cameras that detect the radioactive emissions of an injected radionuclide as it has distributed differentially throughout tissues in the body. The image obtained from a moving detector is called a scan, while the image obtained from a stationary camera device is called a scintiphotograph.	Gamma Camera Imaging,Radioisotope Scanning,Scanning, Radioisotope,Scintigraphy,Scintiphotography,Imaging, Gamma Camera,Imaging, Radionuclide
D003071	Cognition	Intellectual or mental process whereby an organism obtains knowledge.	Cognitive Function,Cognitions,Cognitive Functions,Function, Cognitive,Functions, Cognitive
D003422	Critical Care	Health care provided to a critically ill patient during a medical emergency or crisis.	Intensive Care,Intensive Care, Surgical,Surgical Intensive Care,Care, Critical,Care, Intensive,Care, Surgical Intensive
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
D003658	Decision Making, Computer-Assisted	Use of an interactive computer system designed to assist the physician or other health professional in choosing between certain relationships or variables for the purpose of making a diagnostic or therapeutic decision.	Computer-Assisted Decision Making,Medical Decision Making, Computer-Assisted,Computer Assisted Decision Making,Decision Making, Computer Assisted,Medical Decision Making, Computer Assisted
D003661	Decision Support Techniques	Mathematical or statistical procedures used as aids in making a decision. They are frequently used in medical decision-making.	Decision Analysis,Decision Modeling,Models, Decision Support,Analysis, Decision,Decision Aids,Decision Support Technics,Aid, Decision,Aids, Decision,Analyses, Decision,Decision Aid,Decision Analyses,Decision Support Model,Decision Support Models,Decision Support Technic,Decision Support Technique,Model, Decision Support,Modeling, Decision,Technic, Decision Support,Technics, Decision Support,Technique, Decision Support,Techniques, Decision Support