Evidence-based practice : logic and critical thinking in medicine / Milos Jenicek, David L. Hitchcock.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Jenicek, Milos, 1935-

Contributor:

Hitchcock, David, 1942-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Evidence-based medicine.

Medical logic.

Critical thinking.

Medicine--Philosophy.

Medicine.

Evidence-Based Medicine.

Medical Subjects:

Evidence-Based Medicine.

Physical Description:

xxv, 302 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Other Title:

Logic and critical thinking in medicine

Place of Publication:

[Chicago, Ill.?] : AMA Press, [2005]

Summary:

Complete and flawless evidence is not enough to make valid and valuable treatment choices. If the interpretation of the evidence is not logically sound or is used uncritically, a patient could be harmed. Evidence-Based Practice: Logic and Critical Thinking in Medicine provides easy access to fundamental principles, basic techniques, and proven, rigorous application that enhance your clinical encounters and improve patient care. Logic and Critical Thinking in Medicine is filled with tools for problem solving in clinical practice, medical research, and public health. To ensure better patient outcomes, physicians must learn how rational, practical uses of evidence allow organized decision-making in practice and research. Logic and Critical Thinking in Medicine leads the way.

Contents:

Part 1 Theory and Methodological Foundations

Chapter 1 From Philosophy to Logic, From Logic to Medicine: Fundamental Definitions and Objectives of this Book 3

1.1 Why Are Logic and Critical Thinking Needed in Our Practice, Research, and Communication? Why Read This Book? 5

1.2 Medicine as Art and Science 8

1.3 Philosophy in Medicine or Philosophy of Medicine? 9

1.4 Philosophy of Science, Scientific Method, Evidence, and Evidence-based Medicine 13

1.5 Thinking, Logic, Reasoning, and Critical Thinking 15

1.6 Where in Medicine May We Find Practical Applications and Practical Uses of Philosophy, Logic, and Critical Thinking and Their Expected Benefits? 17

Chapter 2 Logic in a Nutshell I: Reasoning and Underlying Concepts: What Is Required? Does It Make Sense? 23

2.1 A Brief Historical Note 25

2.2 Logic in General and Logic in Medicine 26

2.3 Reasoning and Arguments 28

2.4 Components and Architecture of Reasoning and Arguments: What Is Required? 29

2.4.1 Classical layout of arguments: premises and conclusions 29

2.4.2 Toulmin's modern scheme for layout of arguments 31

2.4.3 Reconstructing arguments from the natural language of daily life 36

2.5 Evaluation of Reasoning and Argument: Does It Make Sense? 41

2.5.1 Criteria for good reasoning 41

2.5.2 Sources of justified premises 46

2.5.3 Criteria for good arguments and good argumentation 49

2.6 Fallacies: Definition, Classification, and Examples 52

Chapter 3 Logic in a Nutshell II: Types of Reasoning and Arguments: How Can We Reason and Argue Better? 61

3.1 Deduction, Induction, and Abduction 63

3.2 Classical Aristotelian Logic 68

3.2.1 Testing categorical syllogisms by diagramming 70

3.2.2 Syllogisms in everyday communication 76

3.3 Contemporary Logic 78

3.4 Historical Note on Indian Logic 78

3.5 Uncertainty and Probability in Medicine 79

3.6 Chaos Theory in Medicine 82

3.7 Fuzzy Sets and Fuzzy Logic 83

3.7.1 Distinction between fuzzy logic and fuzzy set theory 83

3.7.2 Paradigm of fuzziness in medicine 84

3.7.3 Essentials of fuzzy reasoning in fuzzy logic 87

3.8 Conclusions: Implications of Logic for Medicine 89

Chapter 4 Critical Thinking in a Nutshell: What Is "Critical" and What Is Not? 99

4.2 A Checklist for Critical Thinking 109

4.2.1 Problem identification and analysis: What's in focus? 110

4.2.2 Clarification of meaning: What kind of study for what kind of question? What does this mean? 111

4.2.3 Gathering evidence: What basic relevant information can we obtain? 112

4.2.4 Assessing evidence: How good is our basic information? 112

4.2.5 Inferring conclusions: What follows? 114

4.2.6 Other considerations: What else is relevant to the problem? 114

4.2.7 Overall judgment: What is our stand on the problem? 114

4.3 Practical Example of Critical Thinking to Solve a Health Problem: The Challenge of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) 118

4.3.1 Identification of the problem 118

4.3.2 Analysis of the problem 120

4.3.4 Arguments for CAM interventions 125

4.3.5 Explanations of the popularity of CAM 128

4.3.6 Methods of investigating claims made by CAM proponents 129

4.3.7 Assessment of evidence in CAM studies 130

4.3.8 Cause-effect reasoning in CAM studies 131

4.3.9 Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of CAM research 132

4.3.10 Alternative methods of evaluating CAM claims 132

4.3.12 Complementary and alternative medicine in medical education and practice 134

Part 2 Practical Applications

Chapter 5 Logic in Research: Critical Writing and Reading of Medical Articles: What Do These Results Really Prove? How to Write and Read Discussion and Conclusions Sections 147

5.1 Classification and Structure of Medical Articles 150

5.2 Causes and Their Effects 152

5.2.1 Historical milestones 153

5.2.2 Contributions of present generations 154

5.2.3 How a cause-effect relationship is demonstrated or refuted 157

5.3 Medical Articles as Arguments 161

5.3.1 Warrants for conclusions of a causal relationship 162

5.3.2 Arguments at the core of Discussion and Conclusions sections of medical articles 163

5.4 Fallacies in Causal Reasoning and Argument 167

Chapter 6 Logic and Critical Thinking in a Clinician's Daily Practice: Talking and Listening to Colleagues and Patients: Am I Clear Enough? You've Got It Right! 179

6.1 Patient Logic 183

6.2 Physician Logic and Reasoning 185

6.2.1 Building up the history of the case and making a clinical examination 186

6.2.2 Making a diagnosis 187

6.2.3 Treatment 196

6.2.4 Prognosis and risk assessment 199

6.2.5 Making decisions about a particular patient in a particular setting: phronesis in medicine? 202

6.3 Logic in Communication with Patients 206

6.3.1 Understanding patients' statements and reasoning 207

6.3.2 Assessment and diagnosis of psychiatric patients 208

6.4 Logic in Communication with Peers 210

6.4.1 Verbal communication: rounds and consults 210

6.4.2 Written communication: Hospital and office charts and reports 215

6.5 Conclusions: Logic in Communication with the Outside World 219

Chapter 7 Communicating with the Outside World: Are We on the Same Wavelength? 225

7.1 Our Points of Contact in the Community 227

7.2 Physicians in Courts of Law: Their Contributions to Decision-making in Tort Litigation 229

7.2.1 What to expect when dealing with decision-making legal bodies 230

7.2.2 Cause-effect challenges: General and specific 231

7.2.3 Emergence of clinical guidelines and their role in courts of law 239

7.2.4 Reflective thinking in courts of law 241

7.3 Argumentation About Cases Before Worker Compensation Boards and Other Civic Bodies 241

7.4 Dealing with Health Problems in the Media and on the Political or Entertainment Stage 242.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages xxiii-xxv) and index.

ISBN:

1579476260

OCLC:

54913146