Tag: Medical decision making

According to one analysis, in-hospital mortality of 1% or greater has been used to categorize a surgery as "high risk" for patients 65 and older, illustrating that specific thresholds can exist for procedures. However, understanding **what is an acceptable risk for surgery** is a highly personal and relative decision based on balancing potential benefits and complications.

A study involving physicians and pharmacists revealed that contraindications are sometimes ignored in clinical decision-making, emphasizing the critical importance of understanding *what is a conditional contraindication*. This term represents a crucial aspect of patient safety, signaling a situation where a medical treatment may be inadvisable under certain conditions, but not completely forbidden.

Medical acronyms can cause significant confusion, as misdiagnoses, including of serious conditions like myocardial infarction and sepsis, are among the most common medical errors. This article clarifies the term "MDM" to help you understand what it means and how it relates to your health, addressing the crucial question: **how do I know if I have an MDM?**

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the three key components of evaluation and management (E/M) are history, examination, and medical decision-making. This framework is the foundation for determining the appropriate service level and corresponding billing codes for a patient visit, impacting healthcare providers and billing departments alike.

Hippocrates famously advised, "first, do no harm," a principle that underpins much of modern medical practice and helps explain **what does "conservative" mean medically?** This approach prioritizes avoiding invasive procedures by starting with the least aggressive treatments to promote natural healing.

Assessing a patient's decision-making capacity is a fundamental aspect of informed consent, which is required for every medical encounter. Understanding **what are the 4 questions of capacity** is essential for healthcare professionals and anyone involved in complex medical choices.

The American Medical Association's Code of Medical Ethics establishes that informed consent is fundamental in both ethics and law, requiring physicians to provide patients with essential information. The physician's ethical duty related to informed consent goes beyond legal compliance, focusing on fostering a transparent and respectful partnership that empowers patients to make well-considered decisions about their care.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, assessing a patient's medical decision-making capacity is a core part of every medical encounter. A crucial element of this process is understanding **what are the 4 points of capacity** that clinicians evaluate to ensure a patient can make informed decisions about their own healthcare.

According to the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the intensive care unit (ICU) provides specialized care for patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries. Several factors help a medical team answer the pivotal question: **What determines if you go to the ICU?**

Contrary to a common misconception, there is no recognized illness or disease known as MDM sickness in the medical community. The acronym MDM actually stands for Medical Decision Making, a critical component used by healthcare providers to document the complexity of a patient's care and justify billing.