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Decision making for health care professionals: use of decision trees within the community mental health setting
Author(s) -
Bonner Gwen
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01851.x
Subject(s) - mental health , context (archaeology) , r cast , decision tree , decision analysis , decision engineering , health care , viewpoints , business decision mapping , psychology , medicine , decision support system , management science , nursing , computer science , psychiatry , data mining , engineering , paleontology , art , statistics , mathematics , economics , visual arts , biology , economic growth
Decision making for health care professionals: use of decision trees within the community mental health settingAim of the paper. To examine the application of the decision tree approach to collaborative clinical decision‐making in mental health care in the United Kingdom (UK). Background. While this approach to decision‐making has been examined in the acute care setting, there is little published evidence of its use in clinical decision‐making within the mental health setting. The complexities of dual diagnosis (schizophrenia and substance misuse in this case example) and the varied viewpoints of different professionals often hamper the decision‐making process. This paper highlights how the approach was used successfully as a multiprofessional collaborative approach to decision‐making in the context of British community mental health care. Design. A selective review of the relevant literature and a case study application of the decision tree framework. Conclusions. The process of applying the decision tree framework to clinical decision‐making in mental health practice can be time consuming and client inclusion within the process is not always appropriate. The approach offers a method of assigning numerical values to support complex multiprofessional decision‐making as well as considering underpinning literature to inform the final decision. Use of the decision tree offers a common framework that can assist professionals to examine the options available to them in depth, while considering the complex variables that influence decision‐making in collaborative mental health practice. Use of the decision tree warrants further consideration in mental health care in terms of practice and education.