E-Book Overview
Americans are bombarded with statistical data each and every day, and healthcare professionals are no exception. All segments of healthcare rely on data provided by insurance companies, consultants, research firms, and the federal government to help them make a host of decisions regarding the delivery of medical services. But while these health professionals rely on data, do they really make the best use of the information? Not if they fail to understand whether the assumptions behind the formulas generating the numbers make sense. Not if they don’t understand that the world of healthcare is flooded with inaccurate, misleading, and even dangerous statistics. Statistical Analysis for Decision Makers in Healthcare: Understanding and Evaluating Critical Information in a Competitive Market, Second Edition explains the fundamental concepts of statistics, as well as their common uses and misuses. Without jargon or mathematical formulas, nationally renowned healthcare expert and author, Jeff Bauer, presents a clear verbal and visual explanation of what statistics really do. He provides a practical discussion of scientific methods and data to show why statistics should never be allowed to compensate for bad science or bad data. Relying on real-world examples, Dr. Bauer stresses a conceptual understanding that empowers readers to apply a scientifically rigorous approach to the evaluation of data. With the tools he supplies, you will learn how to dismantle statistical evidence that goes against common sense. Easy to understand, practical, and even entertaining, this is the book you wish you had when you took statistics in college — and the one you are now glad to have to defend yourself against the abundance of bad studies and misinformation that might otherwise corrupt your decisions.
E-Book Content
Statistical Analysis for Decision Makers in Healthcare Understanding and Evaluating Critical Information in Changing Times
Second Edition
© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Statistical Analysis for Decision Makers in Healthcare Understanding and Evaluating Critical Information in Changing Times
Second Edition
Jeffrey C. Bauer
© 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Productivity Press Taylor & Francis Group 270 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group Productivity Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4398-0076-8 (Paperback) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright. com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organ