Public Health Flashcards
(23 cards)
❗ Types of Medical Error & Cognitive Bias
What are the four types of errors mentioned?
Slips, lapses, mistakes, violations.
Slip- action error “oopsie”
Lapse- memory error “i forgot”
Mistake - judegement error “did wrong thing”
Violation- deliberate “harm”
These categories help in understanding different aspects of diagnostic errors.
What is a common error due to inexperience in diagnostic reasoning?
Not knowing what information to gather in relation to a patient.
This can lead to missing important symptoms or signs.
What is premature closure in diagnostic reasoning?
Shutting down the consultation quickly after feeling enough information is gathered to make a diagnosis.
This error often occurs with expert reasoners.
What is anchoring in the context of diagnostic errors?
Getting fixated on one diagnosis and ignoring elements of the history or exam that don’t fit.
Overconfidence in a diagnosis without considering alternatives can lead to this error.
What is a key strategy in avoiding investigation errors?
Testing with strategy, knowing what you are looking for.
Blindly selecting tests can lead to misleading results.
What is over-representation of test results?
Emphasizing the importance of a single test result, despite tests being fallible.
Novice reasoners may rely too heavily on one test result instead of comprehensive data.
What is availability bias?
Over-representing a diagnosis that is easily available or common.
This can lead to misdiagnosis based on recent cases seen.
What is stereotyping in diagnostic reasoning?
Limiting differentials based on assumptions or prior experiences with patients.
An example includes misdiagnosing confusion in older patients as ‘normal’ or as a UTI.
What is diagnostic momentum?
The phenomenon where a diagnosis feels secure and is not revisited after being made.
This is particularly true when senior clinicians are involved, making it hard to challenge the diagnosis.
True or False: Once a diagnosis is made, it should not be revisited.
False.
Diagnoses can change as new information emerges or if a patient does not improve.
Fill in the blank: A common error in diagnostic reasoning is _______.
premature closure.
What should you do if a patient presents multiple times?
Revisit the history and do not assume previous consultations got the diagnosis right.
This helps in avoiding repeating past mistakes.
What book is recommended for understanding errors in diagnostic reasoning?
‘How Doctors Think’ by Jerome Groopman.
This book provides clinical anecdotes on how errors can occur and influences on thinking.
What is availability bias?
A preference for diagnoses/options that come to mind easily (e.g. due to recent experience)
Availability bias can lead to skewed decision-making based on recent or memorable experiences.
What does base rate neglect refer to?
Not accounting for the prevalence of the condition in the relevant population
Base rate neglect can result in misdiagnosis or misinterpretation of statistical data.
Define illusions of causality.
Erroneously inferring causal connections between events or information
This bias can lead to incorrect assumptions about cause and effect.
What is meant by jumping to conclusions?
Reaching a judgement or decision based on insufficient information
This often results in hasty decisions without thorough analysis.
What is confirmation bias?
Interpreting information in such a way as to confirm preconceived ideas
Confirmation bias can distort evidence and lead to flawed conclusions.
What does overconfidence bias entail?
Ascribing higher subjective confidence to a conclusion than can be justified by the objective information that supports it
Overconfidence bias can lead to poor decision-making due to inflated self-assessment.
Explain search satisfying.
Ceasing the search for more information once enough has been found to support an initial thought
This can prevent thorough investigation and lead to premature conclusions.
What is diagnostic momentum?
Failing to question judgements made previously (by others)
This can perpetuate errors in diagnosis and treatment.
Define commission bias.
A preference for action rather than inaction
This bias is related to ‘treating the doctor, not the disease’ and can lead to unnecessary interventions.
