Decision-Making by Elimination

Abstract

Some decisions require analysis or maintenance of extensive amounts of data. Some decisions require in-depth review of the medical literature or outcomes of clinical research studies. Some decisions require consideration of multiple options or modification of treatment regimens due to the presence of conflicting factors such as multiple disease processes. For these situations, decisions by recognition or use of transitional models may not be appropriate. Decisions requiring the situations just listed can be categorized as decision-making by elimination. These approaches include the use of statistical and mathematical models or review of outcomes-based research, reliance on evidence-based medicine, or developing a formal differential diagnosis. These approaches are more time-consuming and more useful for complex, complicated, or very uncommon disease processes or conditions where data from large, prospective clinical trials or studies are available.