• Michael Hallek, Axel Ockenfels, and Daniel Wiesen.
• University Hospital of Cologne, Internal Medicine Clinic I and Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Dusseldorf (CIO); Cologne University, Department of Economics, Center for Social and Economic Behavior (C-SEB) and Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute; Cologne University, Seminar for General Business Administration and Management in Healthcare and Center for Social and Economic Behavior (C-SEB).
• Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2022 Sep 23; 119 (38): 633639633-639.

BackgroundIn medicine, a wide gap exists between the medical care that ought to be possible in the light of the current state of medical research and the care that is actually provided. Behavioral biases and noise are two major reasons for this.MethodsWe present the findings of a selective literature review and illustrate how interventions based on behavioral economics can help physicians make better decisions and thereby improve treatment outcomes.ResultsA number of behavioral economics interventions, making use of, for example, default settings, active decision rules, social norms, and self-commitments, may improve physicians' clinical decision-making. Evidence on long-term effects is, however, mostly lacking.ConclusionDespite their apparent potential, the application of behavioral economic interventions to improve medical decisionmaking is still in its infancy, particularly in Germany.

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