Here's how you can steer clear of logical fallacies in healthcare decision-making.

There is a definite hierarchy in this industry. This can make it difficult for people in healthcare to question authority. One must remember that medicine is rooted in science and healthcare is the service delivery of medicine. New developments can emerge when someone questions or challenges existing known discoveries or authorities. In order for medicine and the delivery of medicine to evolve and improve employees and leaders must be bold enough to challenge authority, especially when it is for the benefit of the patient. Organizations which create cultures that welcome this type of engagement are the ones that will progress and thrive over time. Those that do not will eventually fail.

As a health and nutrition coach, I do have patients & clients who ask if they will be able to lose a certain amount of weight in a give timeframe. Weight loss is influenced by many factors and with positive intervention, a particular trajectory on weight loss per week or month cannot be guaranteed. There can be an expectation of progress but we all need to embrace uncertainty in the process and make the needed adjustments along the way. To promise a certain amount of weight loss would not be ethical or desirable.

In my experience, the clinical trials industry is full of uncertainties. There is always uncertainty about things like trial approval or winning the business. Even after we winning a contract, there are still many unknows: Will the project start on time? Will the client get enough funding? Will the trial get enough patients? Will we make the expected money? Will there be any safety issues? Will the trial finish or will it be prematurely terminated? The list of uncertainties is extensive. To succeed in this uncertain environment, it’s important to embrace the uncertainty. By staying flexible and adaptable, we can handle the challenges and changes in a better way.