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. 2008 Apr;42(2):137-9.
doi: 10.4103/0019-5413.40248.

What is a clinical decision analysis study?

Ilyas S Aleem  1 , Emil H Schemitsch, Beate P Hanson
Affiliations

What is a clinical decision analysis study?

Ilyas S Aleem et al. Indian J Orthop. 2008 Apr.

Abstract

Decision making in clinical practice often involves the need to make complex and intricate decisions with important long-term consequences. Decision analysis is a tool that allows users to apply evidence-based medicine to make informed and objective clinical decisions when faced with complex situations. A Decision Tree, together with literature-derived probabilities and defined outcome values, is used to model a given problem and help determine the best course of action. Sensitivity analysis allows an exploration of important variables on final clinical outcomes. A decision-maker can thereafter establish a preferred method of treatment and explore variables which influence the final outcome. The present paper is intended to give an overview of decision analysis and its application in clinical decision making.

Keywords: Clinical trials; critical appraisal; decision analysis; evidence-based medicine; hierarchy of evidence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Six steps to a successful clinical decision analysis study
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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