Countering cognitive biases in minimising low value care

Area of Science:

• Medical Decision Making
• Cognitive Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Cognitive biases can impede clinicians' ability to reconcile evidence of overuse with prior beliefs and intuition.
• These biases contribute to the provision of low-value care and may undermine efforts to reduce it.
• Common biases include commission bias, illusion of control, and groupthink, among others.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common cognitive biases affecting clinical decision-making.
• To explore strategies for countering these biases in healthcare settings.
• To understand the potential impact of debiasing strategies on reducing low-value care.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of cognitive biases in clinical practice.
• Identification and categorization of debiasing strategies.
• Synthesis of evidence regarding the effectiveness of these strategies.

Main Results:

• Numerous cognitive biases (e.g., availability bias, endowment effect) influence clinical judgments.
• A range of debiasing strategies exist, including cognitive huddles, reflective practice, and nudge techniques.
• Some debiasing strategies show effectiveness in reducing low-value care, supported by randomized trials.

Conclusions:

• Addressing cognitive biases is crucial for reducing low-value care.
• Implementing debiasing strategies can improve clinical decision-making and healthcare value.
• Further research and implementation of these strategies are warranted.