A decision support model for prescribing internal cardiac defibrillators

Purpose - Automatic internal cardiac defibrillators have various indications for placement. However, some patients may not fully benefit from this technology and the devices are expensive. Consequently, the aim of this paper is to describe a development model for clinical decision support to help providers offer their patients a more effective decision-making process.Design methodology approach - A decision tree was built based on previous trials described in the cardiac literature.Findings - A decision-making model for implanting these expensive but lifesaving devices is developed and a model for testing them (pre- and post-implantation) is described.Practical implications - The model could be used to develop prospective trials.Originality value - The paper demonstrates that the project's goal is better quality and cost-effective care.