Prognostic Modeling for Clinical Decision Making: theory and applications

Abstract

Clinical decision making is concerned with choices made for individual patients, with a focus on diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. These choices can be supported by cll1pirical research. Diagnostic research includes the assessment of test characteristics, such as sensitivity and specificity, while therapeutic research is preferably performed in randomized clinical trials. Both diagnostic and therapeutic decisions aim to improve the prognosis for the patient. Prognosis is therefore at the heart of clinical decision making