38 39 In this study, with a minimum sample size of 500×(3/(1×8)), approximately 188 cardiologists are needed per group (with or without a cardiac risk score) to study main effects for decision moments A and B separately.
More rigorous research studies provide more accurate estimates of intervention effects for decision making, and are thus more ethical to the extent that this information will be used effectively and fairly to improve population health (Kass 2001).
In the proposed REM, all of the variables have the same effect for congestion decision.
The value of such prediction of treatment effect for medical decision making is conditional on the NWT to prevent one outcome event.
We determined the value of individualised predictions of treatment effect for medical decision making using the previously described net benefit assessment method.
5 This report also shows that the added value of individualised prediction of treatment effect for medical decision making may not be universal but instead is conditional on the NWT.
However, the clinical literature in randomized controlled trials suggests the use of absolute measures of effect to assess the effects of a treatment, such as risk difference or the number needed to be treated, which are better suited than relative measures of effect for clinical decision support, see [ 6- 10] among others.
There appears to be an ameliorating effect of low baseline HCV RNA on the influence of baseline NS5A polymorphisms at L31 and/or Y93H on sustained response to DCV + ASV, but it is a limitation of the study that the number of patients with low HCV RNA and these polymorphisms is too low to establish a robust threshold of effect for clinical decision making.
Accepting this explanation, we may conclude that: (i) raters give more weight to cost-effectiveness and less weight to effect for priority decisions with budgetary implications, and (ii) being a specialist, a non-psychologist, and having high guideline awareness reduces the probability of being classified into the highest priority group for the priority decision with budgetary implications, only.
3. The chair of the HCT meeting should, with immediate effect for all decisions, establish who exactly is responsible for implementing the decision, who should report back on it, and when progress reports should be made.
