MEDICOLEGAL TAKEAWAYS

• Don’t jump to conclusions. That’s “anchoring bias”, which stops all further thought.
• Take a history that includes pertinent positives and negatives.
• Document a reasonable differential diagnosis. In patients with abdominal pain, appendicitis should almost always be on the list.
• Ask oneself “Are lab results consistent with my assumptions?” Ignoring findings that don’t confirm your first impression is classic “confirmation bias.” When lab findings are inconsistent with assumptions, look further.