Measuring surgical decision-making with hypothetical cases.
Year: 1982
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Hypothetical clinical cases were used to investigate surgical decision-making in relation to surgical rates across Ontario. Six procedures were studied (cholecystectomy, colectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, hysterectomy, cesarean section and tonsillectomy-adenoidectomy), and substantial differences of opinion regarding the choice of surgical or nonsurgical treatment were recorded. The decision to operate, however, was not made more frequently in Ontario counties with high operative rates, and none of the demographic variables studied were correlated with the decision to operate. Other variables that might have affected operative rates were not taken into account. There were also differences of opinion in referral decisions, but generally internists and pediatricians were less likely to refer the hypothetical cases to surgeons than were family physicians.
Source: PubMed Central
Authors: E Vayda, W R Mindell, C B Mueller, B Yaffe
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1548833157