Applied Swarm-based medicine: collecting decision trees for patterns of algorithms analysis

Cédric M Panje,Paul Martin Putora,Valentin Zumstein,Markus Glatzer,Christian Rothermundt,Ludwig Plasswilm,Joscha Von Rappard,Thomas Hundsberger

doi:10.1186/s12874-017-0400-y

Cédric M Panje, Paul Martin Putora + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-017-0400-y

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Abstract

BackgroundThe objective consensus methodology has recently been applied in consensus finding in several studies on medical decision-making among clinical experts or guidelines. The main advantages of this method are an automated analysis and comparison of treatment algorithms of the participating centers which can be performed anonymously.MethodsBased on the experience from completed consensus analyses, the main steps for the successful implementation of the objective consensus methodology were identified and discussed among the main investigators.ResultsThe following steps for the successful collection and conversion of decision trees were identified and defined in detail: problem definition, population selection, draft input collection, tree conversion, criteria adaptation, problem re-evaluation, results distribution and refinement, tree finalisation, and analysis.ConclusionThis manuscript provides information on the main steps for successful collection of decision trees and summarizes important aspects at each point of the analysis.

Highlights

The objective consensus methodology has recently been applied in consensus finding in several studies on medical decision-making among clinical experts or guidelines
In order to obtain information on medical decision making from a swarm, i.e. the medical community, medical information from individual medical care providers [8,9,10] or different guidelines [11] needs to be collected in a homogenous format for subsequent comparison and analysis
The five concluded projects involved an analysis of patterns of care of radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer in Switzerland [15], the multidisciplinary management of recurrent glioblastoma in Switzerland [17] and a review of systemic therapies for metastatic clear-cell renal cell cancer among international experts [16, 18]

Summary

Introduction

The objective consensus methodology has recently been applied in consensus finding in several studies on medical decision-making among clinical experts or guidelines. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients [1]. Swarm-based medicine [6], as a form of collective intelligence, represents an additional source of information in decision making [6, 7]. In order to obtain information on medical decision making from a swarm, i.e. the medical community, medical information from individual medical care providers [8,9,10] or different guidelines [11] needs to be collected in a homogenous format for subsequent comparison and analysis

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Conclusion