https://www.heartrhythmjournal.com/article/S1547-5271(08)00462-1/pdf

ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Revise the ACC/AHA/NASPE 2002 Guideline Update for Implantation of Cardiac Pacemakers and Antiarrhythmia Devices): Developed in Collaboration With the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons

ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities

Learning by observing the past decisions of others can help explain some otherwise puzzling phenomena about human behavior. For example, why do people tend to converge on similar behavior? Why is mass behavior prone to error and fads? The authors argue that the theory of observational learning, and particularly of informational cascades, has much to offer economics, business strategy, political science, and the study of criminal behavior.

/pdf/learning-from-the-behavior-of-others-conformity-fads-and-2b6fi36pyc.pdf

Learning from the behavior of others : conformity, fads, and informational cascades

Developed in Collaboration With the American Association for Thoracic Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons 

Andrew E. Epstein, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS, Chair ; John P. DiMarco, MD, PhD, FACC, FHRS; Kenneth A. Ellenbogen. MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS; N.A. Mark Estes III, MD, FACC, FAHA, FHRS; Roger A.

2012 ACCF/AHA/HRS focused update incorporated into the ACCF/AHA/HRS 2008 guidelines for device-based therapy of cardiac rhythm abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000549

2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for Management of Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines and the Heart Rhythm Society

The cost effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: results from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT)-II.

OBJECTIVE: To determine which physician practice and psychological factors contribute to observed variation in primary care physicians’ referral rates.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2000.04079.x

Why Do Physicians Vary So Widely in Their Referral Rates

Is Travel Distance a Barrier to Veterans' Use of VA Hospitals for Medical-Surgical Care

Objective: To determine the value of diagnostic information to patients with suspected multiple sclerosis (MS). Because treatment choices would be only minimally affected by earlier diagnosis for most patients with this clinical problem, this study assessed the "nondecisional" value of diagnosis. Design: Prospective survey of patients before and after diagnostic workup, including imaging with magnetic resonance scanning. We assessed the effect of diagnostic information on patients' sense of well-being, as well as direct measures of the utility of information (using time trade-off and willingness-to-pay techniques). Setting: Patients referred from primary care practices for diagnostic workup for suspected MS to neurology clinics and practices. Patients: Sixty-eight individuals, mean age 37.5 years, 53 female and 15 male. Thirty-one patients were classified as having "probable MS,"and 37 were classifed as having "possible MS" by the examining neurologist before workup. Measurements: Present and future health perception, uncertainty about diagnosis-prognosis, and level of anxiety. Willingness to pay for diagnostic information, quality of life as measured by the time trade-off technique, and psychological state of the patient before and after diagnosis. Results: Diagnostic uncertainty fell significantly as a result of the diagnostic workup. Most patients (59/62) said that they were better off having received diagnostic information. Although anxiety seemed to be reduced by testing, overall anxiety levels did not decrease as much as anticipated. Patients also became less optimistic about their future health after testing. On average, patients were willing to forgo 4.5 quality-adjusted life days to receive an earlier diagnosis and their quality of life after diagnosis improved slightly. Subgroups of patients differed in their response to diagnostic information. Those in whom no definitive diagnosis emerged tend to be more anxious rather than being reassured by the "negative" workup. Individuals with "positive" workups became less anxious and expressed favorable feelings about the diagnostic workup even though they often faced a chronic disease. Conclusions: Overall, the diagnostic workup seemed to benefit patients and improve their sense of well-being. However, whether the effects were beneficial or not depended on the results of the diagnostic workup itself. In clinical practice the decision to undergo testing in situations in which definitive treatment is unavailable should be individualized. The potential for negative as well as positive consequences should be recognized.

https://jamanetwork.com/HttpHandlers/ArticlePdfHandler.ashx?journal=neur&articleId=592695&pdfFileName=archneur_51_1_017.pdf

Cathleen Mooney

Papers

The cost effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: results from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT)-II.

Why Do Physicians Vary So Widely in Their Referral Rates

Is Travel Distance a Barrier to Veterans' Use of VA Hospitals for Medical-Surgical Care

The Value of Diagnostic Information to Patients With Suspected Multiple Sclerosis

Variations in Medical Practice Use: Causes and Consequences