Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/86713 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2009
Series/Report no.: 
Tinbergen Institute Discussion Paper No. 09-042/1
Publisher: 
Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam and Rotterdam
Abstract: 
A physician performs two tasks: making diagnoses and determining treatments. To reduce medical error, residents are supposed to consult their supervisors when they face uncommon circumstances. However, recent research shows that residents are reluctant to do so. This paper presents a model that explains (i) which residents shy away from consulting; (ii) when residents are reluctant; (iii) the importance of protocols in the medical sector; and (iv) when consulting is a sign of strength or a sign of weakness. Furthermore, I show that encouraging residents to consult by investigating mishaps leads to another distortion: residents will give too much weight to own assessments.
Subjects: 
Medical error
medical decision-making
reputational concerns
consulting
JEL: 
D21
D82
D83
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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