Bias in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Role of bias in errors of decision making is receiving increasing attention. It is turning out to be one of the main sources of mistakes. Hence, it is important to be aware of biases and to design strategies toward an unbiased approach. Biases are of various types, and the potential sources of bias can be related to the consultant, patients and factors related to working conditions. Availability bias, base rate neglect, confirmation bias, conjunction rule, diagnostic momentum bias, framing effect and confirmation bias are the common types, and these have been discussed in this manuscript using a scenario-based format. Two types of human thinking, the rapid intuitive mode and the slow reflective mode, their pros and cons and their role in biases are discussed. Strategies to enhance awareness of biases, tips to improve reasoning, promote freethinking, enhance decision-making skills and resorting to checklists have been deliberated to achieve an unbiased approach.