Clinical reasoning in medicine II: Towards an integrating definition

Abstract

Understanding clinical reasoning is a crucial for research, teaching, and daily clinical practice. Theoretical models could be grouped into three main non-exclusive axes. The first describes probability-based thinking, called informal Bayesian, because of its similarity to the conditional probability analysis structure. The second, from the cognitive sciences, describes reasoning as the sum of two types of thinking: type 1 (fast and intuitive) and type 2 (hypothetical-deductive). Finally, the third, intersubjective knowledge, which involves the interaction of the patient’s knowledge about his condition with the doctor’s knowledge and also makes explicit the role of emotion. In this second part, a narrative review of current theories is presented in order to propose an integrative definition, in which clinical reasoning is presented as a complex, iterative and adaptive construct.

Keywords

• bias
• clinical decision-making
• decision theory
• medical errors
• mental processes