The beguiling pursuit of more information

Background. The authors tested whether clinicians make different decisions if they pursue information than if they receive the same information from t he start. Methods. Three groups of clinicians participated (N = 1206): dial ysis nurses (n = 171), practicing urologists (n = 461), and academic physic ians (n = 574). Surveys were sent to each group containing medical scenario s formulated in 1 of 2 versions. The simple version of each scenario presen ted a choice between 2 options. The search version presented the same choic e but only after some information had been missing and subsequently obtaine d. The 2 versions otherwise contained identical data and were randomly assi gned. Results. In one scenario involving a personal choice about kidney don ation, more dialysis nurses were willing to donate when they first decided to be tested for compatibility and were found suitable than when they knew they were suitable from the start (65% vs. 44%,P = 0.007). Similar discrepa ncies were found in decisions made by practicing urologists concerning surg ery for a patient with prostate cancer and in decisions of academic physici ans considering emergency management for a patient with acute chest pain. C onclusions. The pursuit of information can increase its salience and cause clinicians to assign more importance to the information than if the same in formation was immediately available. An awareness of this cognitive bias ma y lead to improved decision making in difficult medical situations.