Evaluation and Reduction of Error in Medical Judgments

Abstract

Accuracy and consistency in many aspects of medical judgment have been shown to be disconcertingly low. This report focuses on error in medical judgments involving sensory evaluation of signs, symptoms and laborabory specimens. Four main factors that determine the extent of error in sensory evaluations are described, and five main approaches to error reduction are listed. A desirable general approach to error analysis is outlined and one simple expedient for reducing error is discussed.