Multi-dimensional Problems in Health Settings: A Review of Approaches to Decision Making

Introduction There appears to be a growing number of prioritization exercises, for example of diseases, in health related settings (1). The decision process around these exercises involves comparing competing alternatives, i.e. diseases, and irreducible objectives. In addition to the multi-dimensional nature of the problem, the lack of reliable data, group dynamics associated to the involvement of experts, and the multiplicity of stakeholders, among other contextual factors, add complexity to the decision process. Here we review trends in such prioritization exercises and applications in different settings and for different events of interest, for example the management of emerging risks. Based on our findings, we discuss a conceptual framework based on multi-attribute utility theory presented to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for the modification of its qualitative assessment of veterinary services performance into a quantifiable decision support system.