Cognitive and visual diagnostic errors in dermatology: part 1

Publication Date

2018

Journal Title

Br J Dermatol

Abstract

© 2018 British Association of Dermatologists Sir William Osler famously, and ironically, stated that ‘Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability’. The processes by which each physician metes out diagnostic uncertainty and navigates probabilities in dermatology is far from uniform. While certain ubiquitous cognitive and visual heuristics can enhance diagnostic speed, they also create pitfalls and thinking traps that introduce significant variation in the diagnostic process. Discussed in this part of a two-part article are various cognitive and visual heuristics as they pertain to skin disease, with an introduction and special attention paid to the heuristic methods classically applied by dermatologists. How to best address error and improve our thought processes will be addressed in part 2.

Volume Number

179

Issue Number

6

Pages

1263-1269

Document Type

Article

Status

Faculty

Facility

School of Medicine

Primary Department

General Pediatrics

PMID

29962022

DOI

10.1111/bjd.16932

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