Evidence of effectiveness
The effect of the decision-making process on outcomes has been better studied in non-healthcare disciplines. Some of these reports show that a rational, analytic mindset overrides the effects of one’s intuitions in ethical judgements. 37 Moreover, the best decision-making outcomes are characterized by decisions that start with identifying the performance gap as well as the aim/ objectives.40 Nutt 41 concluded that the best results are obtained when the search efforts are guided by documented needs based on the quantitative performance gap. This highlights the importance of the identification phase.
A review recommended that decision-makers should adhere to more rational and formalized decision-making processes, resulting in better decision outcomes, noting that different process types’ adoption leads to different results. 16 In the development phase, the search and design processes are more likely to produce successful outcomes than idea imposition or readymade options.15, 40 While searching, there is a wider exploration for alternatives and longer-term adoption of decisions reached 16. Interestingly, the process of discovery is more successful than the idea imposition process, no matter the urgency, importance, resource level, initial support, decision-maker level, sector, or type of decision. This suggests that crisis meta-decision or meta-decision in acute settings need to follow the same framework.
The effectiveness of incorporating value in decision-making is well assessed in healthcare literature when relating outcome to value. Rationalization based on value is a target that healthcare literature is aiming at and driving financing toward. 42