title: Decision theory in medicine: a review and critique.
abstract: Decision theory's role in medicine will lie between the extremes of naive optimism ("a Rosetta stone") and unmitigated pessimism ("a computerized Ouija board"). Its application to public health policy, research, and administrative problem-solving is established; experience offers some guidelines for more limited use in clinical practice.
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D003933:Diagnosis; D005716:Game Theory; D006296:Health Services / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011336:Probability; D011640:Public Policy; D012306:Risk