Evidence Based Diagnosis

Explains the mathematics involved in understanding and choosing an array of diagnostic and prognostic tests, in order to improve treatment.

British Medical Association Book Awards 2009 - First Prize Winner, Primary Care Category Evidence-Based Diagnosis in Primary Care provides guidance on diagnosis in general practice, from the patient’s first presentation with a symptom to the final establishment of a diagnosis or referral for further investigation. The book is divided into two parts: • Symptoms; which details the steps necessary to reach a provisional diagnosis when a patient presents; and • Disorders; in which the more detailed assessment of that initial diagnosis is described. This is the first book to be written about diagnosis in primary care that attempts to base its guidance on the research evidence. Enough information is provided on each symptom, or condition, to decide on the pre-test probability of each possible disorder, and how the symptoms, signs and investigations alter those probabilities to allow a conclusion to be reached about the most likely diagnosis. Evidence-Based Diagnosis in Primary Care also explains the principles of evidence-based diagnosis – with special emphasis on the issues raised by attempting an evidence-based approach in primary care – and clearly demonstrates the power, and the difficulties, of an evidence-based approach. Many chapters also feature ‘red flags’ – elements of the history or examination that should alert the practitioner to the possibility of serious disease, which is vital for general practice.

Clinical reference that takes an evidence-based approach to the physical examination. Updated to reflect the latest advances in the science of physical examination, and expanded to include many new topics.

This book for emergency physicians and fellows training in emergency medicine provides evidence-based information on what diagnostic tests to ask for and when and how to use particular decision rules. The new edition builds on the success of the current book by modifying the presentation of the evidence, increasing the coverage, and updating the current information throughout.

This handbook describes the diagnostic process clearly and logically, aiding medical students and others who wish to improve their diagnostic performance and to learn more about the diagnostic process.

The definitive evidence-based introduction to patient history-taking NOW IN FULL COLOR For medical students and other health professions students, an accurate differential diagnosis starts with The Patient History. The ideal companion to major textbooks on the physical examination, this trusted guide is widely acclaimed for its skill-building, and evidence based approach to the medical history. Now in full color, The Patient History defines best practices for the patient interview, explaining how to effectively elicit information from the patient in order to generate an accurate differential diagnosis. The second edition features all-new chapters, case scenarios, and a wealth of diagnostic algorithms. Introductory chapters articulate the fundamental principles of medical interviewing. The book employs a rigorous evidenced-based approach, reviewing and highlighting relevant citations from the literature throughout each chapter. Features NEW! Case scenarios introduce each chapter and place history-taking principles in clinical context NEW! Self-assessment multiple choice Q&A conclude each chapter—an ideal review for students seeking to assess their retention of chapter material NEW! Full-color presentation Essential chapter on red eye, pruritus, and hair loss Symptom-based chapters covering 59 common symptoms and clinical presentations Diagnostic approach section after each chapter featuring color algorithms and several multiple-choice questions Hundreds of practical, high-yield questions to guide the history, ranging from basic queries to those appropriate for more experienced clinicians

Getting the right diagnosis is a key aspect of health care - it provides an explanation of a patient's health problem and informs subsequent health care decisions. The diagnostic process is a complex, collaborative activity that involves clinical reasoning and information gathering to determine a patient's health problem. According to Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, diagnostic errors-inaccurate or delayed diagnoses-persist throughout all settings of care and continue to harm an unacceptable number of patients. It is likely that most people will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences. Diagnostic errors may cause harm to patients by preventing or delaying appropriate treatment, providing unnecessary or harmful treatment, or resulting in psychological or financial repercussions. The committee concluded that improving the diagnostic process is not only possible, but also represents a moral, professional, and public health imperative. Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, a continuation of the landmark Institute of Medicine reports To Err Is Human (2000) and Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001), finds that diagnosis-and, in particular, the occurrence of diagnostic errorsâ€"has been largely unappreciated in efforts to improve the quality and safety of health care. Without a dedicated focus on improving diagnosis, diagnostic errors will likely worsen as the delivery of health care and the diagnostic process continue to increase in complexity. Just as the diagnostic process is a collaborative activity, improving diagnosis will require collaboration and a widespread commitment to change among health care professionals, health care organizations, patients and their families, researchers, and policy makers. The recommendations of Improving Diagnosis in Health Care contribute to the growing momentum for change in this crucial area of health care quality and safety.

"This book is a tremendous asset for students and residents learning to develop their diagnostic skills. It can also be useful as a refresher for established clinicians when the more common diagnoses are not the cause of a patient's complaints." —Doody's Review An engaging case-based approach to learning the diagnostic process in internal medicine Doody's Core Titles for 2023! Symptom to Diagnosis, Fourth Edition teaches an evidence-based, step-by-step process for evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients based on their clinical complaints. By applying this process clinicians will be able to recognize specific diseases and prescribe the most effective therapy. Each chapter is built around a common patient complaint that illustrates essential concepts and provides insight into the process by which the differential diagnosis is identified. As the case progresses, clinical reasoning is explained in detail. The differential diagnosis for that particular case is summarized in tables that highlight the clinical clues and important tests for the leading diagnostic hypothesis and alternative diagnostic hypotheses. As the chapter progresses, the pertinent diseases are reviewed. Just as in real life, the case unfolds in a stepwise fashion as tests are performed and diagnoses are confirmed or refuted. Completely updated to reflect the latest research in clinical medicine, this fourth edition is enhanced by algorithms, summary tables, questions that direct evaluation, and an examination of recently developed diagnostic tools and guidelines. Clinical pearls are featured in every chapter. Coverage for each disease includes: Textbook Presentation, Disease Highlights, Evidence-Based Diagnosis, and Treatment.

This innovative introduction to patient encounters utilizes an evidence-based step-by-step process that teaches students how to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients based on the clinical complaints they present. By applying this approach, students are able to make appropriate judgments about specific diseases and prescribe the most effective therapy. (Product description).

This small pocket book contains more than 500 clinical pearls in 12 major areas of internal medicine, collected from teaching conferences for residents at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The pearls were selected by two residents and reviewed by senior faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.