Which endpoint best captures safety in CDM outcomes?

• A. Reduced adverse outcomes.
• B. Patient satisfaction.
• C. Time to diagnosis.
• D. Number of tests.

Answer: (A)

Safety in clinical decision making means preventing harm to patients during care and decision processes. An endpoint that most directly reflects safety is a reduction in adverse outcomes—the fewer harmful events patients experience, the safer the care pathway. That’s why this option best captures safety. The other endpoints focus on different aspects: patient satisfaction gauges experience and perceptions, time to diagnosis measures how quickly a diagnosis is reached (timeliness), and the number of tests relates to resource use. While those can affect overall quality, they do not measure safety as directly as the rate of adverse outcomes.