Decision making in medicine - Are obstetricians' physicians influenced by "non-medical" information?

Abstract

Abstract Objective: To examine whether obstetricians' physicians are influenced by non-medical information/considerations in the decision-making process. Methods: The study population was sampled from four hospitals. Participants: 100 physicians. All 100 physicians were presented with three somewhat vague case studies that an obstetrician might encounter during their career. The cases were chosen through the triangulation method by specialists – judges in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology. Each participant was asked to provide a decision: whether to continue with a vaginal birth plan or to do a cesarean. In addition, each participant was asked to explain the decision. Analysis of the study data consisted of three stages: Line-by-Line Coding, Axial Coding, and Core Category. Results:Three main themes were revealed in the study, which are: the process of the birth, fetal distress, and the passage of the fetus through the pelvis. In addition, the study findings indicate that in medical practice, "non-medical" information is being used as a critical argument in decision-making regarding the procedure of the birth, for two of the themes (fetal distress and passage of the fetus through the pelvis), the non-medical information has increased the likelihood of the doctors choosing to perform a cesarean. Conclusions: If, as this study suggests, obstetricians rely on non-medical and non-obstetric information in their decision-making, this issue should be presented during training and throughout the practice of these physicians, in order to increase their awareness of the additional factors that influence their medical decision-making.