title: Understanding information synthesis in oral surgery for the design of systems for clinical information technology.
abstract: An understanding of the processes of clinical decision-making is essential for the development of health information technology. In this study we have analysed the acquisition of information during decision-making in oral surgery, and analysed cognitive tasks using a "think-aloud" protocol. We studied the techniques of processing information that were used by novices and experts as they completed 4 oral surgical cases modelled from data obtained from electronic hospital records. We studied 2 phases of an oral surgeon's preoperative practice including the "diagnosis and planning of treatment" and "preparing for a procedure". A framework analysis approach was used to analyse the qualitative data, and a descriptive statistical analysis was made of the quantitative data. The results showed that novice surgeons used hypotheticodeductive reasoning, whereas experts recognised patterns to diagnose and manage patients. Novices provided less detail when they prepared for a procedure. Concepts regarding "signs", "importance", "decisions", and "process" occurred most often during acquisition of information by both novices and experts. Based on these results, we formulated recommendations for the design of clinical information technology that would help to improve the acquisition of clinical information required by oral surgeons at all levels of expertise in their clinical decision-making.
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand. Electronic address: ssiriwan@tu.ac.th.
authors: Siriwan
authors: S
authors: Suebnukarn
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand.
authors: Piyawadee
authors: P
authors: Chanakarn
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand.
authors: Sirada
authors: S
authors: Phisutphatthana
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand.
authors: Kanchala
authors: K
authors: Pongpatarat
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand.
authors: Udom
authors: U
authors: Wongwaithongdee
authors: Faculty of Dentistry Thammasat University, Pathumthaini, Thailand.
authors: Chanekrid
authors: C
authors: Oupadissakoon
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008490:Medical Informatics; D013515:Surgery, Oral
keywords: Cognitive task analysis; Decision-making process; Information synthesis; Think-aloud protocol