The potential use of game theory in decision-making in CHD

Background:
Congenital cardiac care involves multiple stakeholders including patients and their families, surgeons, cardiologists, anaesthetists, the wider multidisciplinary team, healthcare providers, and manufacturers, all of whom are involved in the decision-making process to some degree. Game theory utilises human behaviour to address the dynamics involved in a decision and what the best payoff is depending on the decision of other players.

Aim:
By presenting these interactions as a strategic game, this paper aims to provide a descriptive analysis on the utility and effectiveness of game theory in optimising decision-making in congenital cardiac care.

Methodology:
The comprehensive literature was searched to identify papers on game theory, and its application within surgery.

Results:
The analysis demonstrated that by utilising game theories, decision-making can be more aligned with patient-centric approaches, potentially improving clinical outcomes.

Conclusion:
Game theory is a useful tool for improving decision-making and may pave the way for more efficient and improved patient-centric approaches.