Discrepancy between Medical Decisions for Individual Patients and for Groups

This study addresses the question of whether physicians make judgments in evaluating an individual patient as compared to a group of similar patients. In three separate experiments, physicians and undergraduate students were asked to complete about scenarios of medical decision making involving the of one person and/or a group of comparable patients. The scenarios: recommending an additional test with a low cost and possible; examining a patient directly rather than following progress by; avoiding discussion of topics such as organ donation; and a treatment with a good chance of success as well as of adverse. Study data suggests that there are discrepancies between decision by physicians for individual patients and for groups of patients. discrepancies may have implications for clinical decision making and policy. (KIE abstract)