Medical Decision Making Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

• DOI: 10.1177/0272989x8900900109
• Publication Date: 2007-03-18T04:13:15Z
• Authors: James G. Dolan
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Pyelonephritis; Acute Disease; Decision Trees; Humans; Female; Decision Making, Computer-Assisted; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Decision Support Techniques; 3. Good health

The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine which of seven recommended antibiotic regimens represented optimal initial therapy for a young woman hospitalized treat ment acute pyelonephritis. model included the following criteria: maximize cure, minimize adverse effects (broken down into very serious, and limited), resis tance, cost (divided total patient cost). criteria were weighted according judgments made by 61 practicing clinicians. Alternatives compared relative using published information on expected frequencies urinary pathogens drug toxicity, local sensitivities charges, expert opinion regarding their propensities inducing antimicrobial resistance. analysis identified ampicillin com bined with gentamicin as regimen. This study illustrates several features AHP that make it promising use in medical decision making: its ability incorporate multiple formal model, procedural simplicity, similarity current management guidelines. Further studies establish role making are warranted.