NIHR CLAHRC seminar - (Informed?) Diagnostic Decision Making

Testing can be a substantial driver of health care costs and the observed increase in test use over recent decades is unlikely to be representative of clinical need. Recent methodological and policy initiatives have been employed to promote evidence-based testing.

Understanding and application of test accuracy information is purported to be an important barrier to informed diagnostic decision making. A systematic review with the aim of understanding the nature of any difficulties faced by decision makers reveals a limited and narrowly focused literature, suggesting this element of the promotion of evidence-based testing has to date been overlooked.

A recent survey of UK General Practitioners suggests clinical experience and colleagues are the most prominent sources of information guiding test use. The method of presenting test accuracy information to survey participants using a hypothetical testing scenario was observed to have a profound effect on management decisions. The results of the survey have important implications for the current way in which test accuracy information is presented to decision makers.

Dr Clare Davenport is a Clinical Research Fellow in Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, at the University of Birmingham 

The seminar is funded through the  Research-Led Initiatives Grant,  is open to everybody interested in the topic and attendance is free.

To help with administration, please email: Z.Zhelev@exeter.ac.uk to confirm attendance.