Bias
Focusing on one particular symptom, sign, or piece of information, or a particular diagnosis early in the diagnostic process and failing to make any adjustments for other possibilities
What is anchoring bias?
The likely diagnosis when a patient presents to primary care with fever, productive cough, shortness of breath, and hypoxemia
What is community acquired pneumonia?
What are OTC fever reducers, cough suppressants, decongestants, and warm humidified air?
These are the two sinus areas most prone to infection
What are the maxillary and frontal sinuses?
This is the term for inflammation of the mucous membrane that covers the front of the eye and lines the inside of the eyelids
What is conjunctivitis?
This is the treatment of choice for dry eye
What is ocular lubricants?
The uncritical acceptance of an initial diagnosis and failing to recognize or search for information to challenge that diagnosis.
What is premature closure or confirmation bias?
What is Streptococcus pneumoniae?
The likely diagnosis if a patient has a severe sudden onset sore throat, fever, anterior lymphadenopathy, and exudative tonsillitis
What is Strep pharyngitis?
This is the type of information needed to diagnose typical presentations of acute bacterial rhino sinusitis
What are history and physical exam findings?
This type of infection is suspected when a patient has the sudden onset of profuse purulent discharge from one or both eyes
What is bacterial conjunctivitis?
This is the preferred route of antibiotic administration for issues of the eyes
What are ophthalmic drops or ointments?
This occurs when the clinician explains a patient’s condition on the basis of their disposition or character rather than seeking a valid medical explanation
What is attribution error?
The treatment of choice for patients with community acquired pneumonia but no other co-morbidities
What is amoxicillin, doxycycline or macrolides (if resistance <25%)?
This type (class) of pathogen is responsible for the majority of upper respiratory infections
What are viruses?
The presence of two or more of these symptoms are the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of acute bacterial rhino sinusitis
This type of infection is suspected when a patient has the onset of redness, itching and watery discharge in both eyes
What is allergic conjunctivitis
This is the anatomic location of most anterior nose bleeds
What is Kiesselbach's plexus or Little's area?
This occurs when personal involvement with a patient unduly influences the treatment offered or diagnosis.
What is visceral bias?
This is the antibiotic of choice for patients with community acquired pneumonia AND significant co-morbidities like diabetes, COPD, heart failure, dialysis, etc.)
What is Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate) AND a macrolide or doxycycline OR a respiratory fluoroquinolone?
This confirmatory laboratory test is indicated if the provider believes that the patient's clinical symptoms are indicative of Strep infection but the patient has a negative rapid strep detection test in the office
What is a throat culture?
These are the leading choices for antibiotics when acute bacterial rhino sinusitis is suspected
What are amoxicillin/Augmentin, doxycycline, and/or respiratory fluoroquinolone?
This type of eye disorder is characterized by a discrete painless lump on the eye lid
This is the virus that causes most viral cases of rhino sinusitis
What are rhinoviruses?
These three strategies can be used to limit the impact of bias on the diagnosis and treatment of patients
What are actively considering alternative explanations, consultation with colleagues and reconsidering the diagnosis if the patient does not respond as anticipated.
The Pneumonia Severity Index score for a male nursing home resident who is 74 years old and has congestive heart failure and altered mental status
What is 114?
This is the antibiotic therapy of choice for suspected Strep pharyngitis
What is Pen VK?
Referral of a patient with sinusitis to a specialist should be made under any of these conditions
What is when it is refractory to treatment, caused by allergies, recurrent, or suspected to be fungal in nature.
This is the treatment for the diagnosis of hordeolum
What is warm moist compresses, cleaning with diluted baby shampoo and gentle massage?
This is the treatment of choice for adults with acute otitis media?
What is amoxicillin 875 mg with clavulanate 125 mg orally twice daily?