Speaking about the quality of medical care, which doctor do you think makes more accurate diagnoses: the one that uses a lot of tests and diagnostic methods, or the one that uses less than the rest?
Tinglong Dai and colleagues conducted such a study and published the results in the article «Conspicuous by Its Absence: Diagnostic Expert Testing Under Uncertainty» in Marketing Science (2020). It turns out that super-diagnostics do not need many tests. Weak diagnosticians use an excessive number of tests. Why? Due to lack of knowledge, reinsurance, low level of analytical thinking.
A diagnosis is a combination of several components. These are complaints, and life history, family history, etc. A smart doctor who knows how to listen, considers all the little things. He has intuition, he has confidence. He really does not need tons of tests, because he knows the advantages and disadvantages of each diagnostic method. He is not afraid of difficult cases, because each such case for him is a real stimulus for his thinking.
I also love complex, confusing cases. I am not afraid to sort out multi-volume folders of analyzes, ask questions, listen to answers, discuss alternatives with the patient. And how nice it is when all the dots are placed above the “i” and you see the positive result of your help.
I love receiving letters of gratitude, photos of tummies and babies born. I love it when people smile after talking to me.
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