Prognosis: How long do we wait for the doctor?

摘要

Since the beginning of recorded medical history, patients have wanted to know three things from their physician: What's wrong with me? (diagnosis); What will happen to me? (prognosis); and What can be done to help me? (treatment). Most of contemporary medical practice is organized around diagnosis and treatment. Though prognostic information exists, there is no systematic approach to making that information reliably and routinely available for decision making. The new whiz-bang electronic medical records and medical decision making tools nudge, cajole, bleat, and scream at the clinician to ensure that important information about diagnostic screening and testing not be missed. Patterns of practice are reviewed and reported as never before so that best treatment practices are routinely delivered. The omission of prognostic information using the same logic that puts all other medical information at the fingertips of the physician should strike everyone as odd.