Information and Information Technologies Support Medical Decision Making

Background: Medical decision making represent a branch of medical informatics. Our decisions and actions are based not only on relevant information but also on our knowledge of the nature of problem that is being solved. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and explaine the importance of medical decision making in physician's practice with information technology support. Methods: This is cross-sectional study based on reviewing of apropriate scientific literaure stored in scientific databases like PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, Embase, Hinary, etc, Results and Discussion: The reality is that the physician very often makes the decisions on the basis of the incomplete information. Besides that, the value of the available information for the processes of decision making is always relative regarding to the basis on the base of knowledge of the decision carrier. Medical decision making certainly be continuously exposed to it, which is the reason why it could not be of more important. The intricate aspects of medical decision making has been discussed in this article. A decision is a choice varying between several different courses of action that may be pursued. Each decision comes as a result of complex processes which provide two or more options providing results, as well as intro and retrospection, and examination or perspective into the future. As is in everyday life, the principles of decision making are present in medicine as well. Conclusion: Medical decision-making is a process of continuous balancing of concrete risks in which doctors show "loss aversion". Medical decisions are vital - to medical professionals, patients and society. They are difficult, and may provide positive outcomes, or poor complications. They test doctors maximally, and provide insight into the effectiveness of doctors. Doctors do not enter into a “business but social contract” with the patient. Additionally, it may ease and expedite the process of medical decision making, a luxury which was not always present for physicians.