Virtually Priceless Thoughts

One of the things that I seem to do a fair amount is make decisions. Also, I try to engage others in making decisions. Be it deciding on a treatment option with a patient or developing a strategy for an organization or deciding on a research project for my PhD – coming to a collective decision is a key piece for me.

And it is not easy.

I am regularly looking for tools and methods to use to help make a variety of types of decisions.

With patients, I sometimes find showing them graphs works some things. (Note a lot of qualifications) An engaged patient with a chronic disease, for example, can benefit from a graph of their blood work getting better (e.g. A1c in the picture), but it is key to tie the graph to their actions. “Since last December when you started losing that weight – look at how much better you are controlling your diabetes.”

Jeff Hawkins of Palm fame on Ted Talks – he speaks about “brain science” and I found some of what he talked about close to many of the cognitive science discussions I’ve had with my supervisor around clinical decision making, mental scripts, etc. “Decision making in Action” is a good book on this subject as well.

Also provides a different side to Jeff than the guy known for walking around with a wood block in his pocket.