Table 2. The 4 Domains of Information Pertinent to Clinical Decisionmaking for Preventive Services
| Domain | Description |
|---|---|
| Potential preventable burden | Amount of death, disability and suffering caused by this condition in the United States population. Considers the incidence of the condition, the consequences of the condition for disfigurement, disability, suffering, death, and burden to family, society, and the health care system. |
| Potential harms | Immediate or long-term harms associated with delivering this service in routine care. Could include a range of harms from minor (e.g., anxiety associated with further testing after positive screen) to major morbidity or mortality (e.g., procedures that would be done to follow up on a positive test that carry a measurable risk for death). |
| Costs | Costs associated with delivering this service on a population level, including the costs of the screening tests, the effort and time to deliver the service, and costs of integrating the delivery of the service into clinical practice, such as training and personnel requirements.
Opportunity costs, including the benefits that might derive from alternative uses of the time or money, are also considered. |
| Current practice | Current level of use of the service. |
Current as of: February 2009