# Statistical Misinterpretations and Clinical Practice Guidelines: any examples?

**URL:** <https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/statistical-misinterpretations-and-clinical-practice-guidelines-any-examples/4372>\
**Category:** health services research\
**Tags:** interpretation\
**Created:** [May 8, 2021, 2:34pm UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/statistical-misinterpretations-and-clinical-practice-guidelines-any-examples/4372 "2021-05-08T14:34:07Z")\
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**Author:** ![R\_cubed](https://discourse.datamethods.org/user_avatar/discourse.datamethods.org/r_cubed/32/1518_2.png) [@R\_cubed](https://discourse.datamethods.org/u/R_cubed)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 5:07am UTC](https://discourse.datamethods.org/t/statistical-misinterpretations-and-clinical-practice-guidelines-any-examples/4372/17 "2021-06-24T05:07:54Z")

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I can’t remember where I found it (probably one of Frank’s reference lists), but this paper on risk prediction as preferable to diagnosis (classification) is really where clinical care needs to go, especially with regulators insisting on health systems that get payments engage in financial risk taking for the care provided.

That, in turn, implies that quality assurance and improvement would be involved in the development and implementation of risk prediction (and reduction) models, instead of checklists based on arbitrary dichotomies.

> **[Against Diagnosis](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2677291/)**
>
> The act of diagnosis requires that patients be placed in a binary category of either having or not having a certain disease. Accordingly, the diseases of particular concern for industrialized countries—such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, or...

**Addendum:** A related article on risk adjusted payments for primary care. These are the types of models doctors, nurses, and other professionals on the front lines need. A critical point – educating these people on when the model is _not_ applicable will be critical if outcomes are to be improved.

> **[Risk-Adjusted Payment and Performance Assessment for Primary Care](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3394905/)**
>
> Many wish to change incentives for primary care practices through bundled population-based payments and substantial performance feedback and bonus payments. Recognizing patient differences in costs and outcomes is crucial, but customized risk...

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