Cognitive Load Theory and Its Impact on Diagnostic Accuracy

Prepared for:

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
www.ahrq.gov

Contract Number HHSP233201500022I/75P00119F37006

Prepared by:

University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
Michelle Knees, D.O.
Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency

Katie E. Raffel, M.D.
Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency

Mark Kissler, M.D.
Marisha Burden, M.D., M.B.A.
Samuel Porter, M.D.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Jeffrey Schnipper, M.D., M.P.H.

University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
Andrew Auerbach, M.D., M.P.H.

This project was funded under contract number HHSP233201500022I/75P00119F37006 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The authors are solely responsible for this document’s contents, findings, and conclusions, which do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Readers should not interpret any statement in this product as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. None of the authors has any affiliation or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this product.

Public Availability Notice: This product is made publicly available by AHRQ and may be used and reprinted without permission in the United States for noncommercial purposes unless materials are clearly noted as copyrighted in the document. No one may reproduce copyrighted materials without the permission of the copyright holders. Users outside the United States must get permission from AHRQ to reprint or translate this product. Anyone wanting to reproduce this product for sale must contact AHRQ for permission.

Citation of the source is appreciated.

Suggested citation: Knees M, Raffel KE, Kissler M, Burden M, Porter S, Schnipper J, Auerbach A. Cognitive Load Theory and its Impact on Diagnostic Accuracy. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2024. Publication No. 24-0010-2-EF.