Clinical decision making: from theory to practice. Anatomy of a decision

Eddy argues that the quality of medical care is determined mainly by quality of the decisions that determine what that care will be and the with which that care is executed. While the medical profession the importance of ensuring quality of execution, it has not taken to develop and evaluate quality decision making. Eddy describes the two steps that make up the "anatomy" of a decision, the first a largely-based analysis of the estimated outcomes of various care plans, and the a more personal and subjective comparison of the desirability of the of each option. Eddy also identifies the "pathology" of decisions from misperceptions about outcomes of care options, or about the that patients place upon those outcomes. He identifies three that, if attended to, should enable physicians to achieve the goal improving patient outcomes. (KIE abstract)