Table 1 Instruction and validated 5-point scale given to physician raters to judge avoidability of ACSC* hospital admission for uncomplicated hypertension, using implicit judgment

After due consideration of the clinical details of the patient’s medical chart, rate, on a 5-point scale, your confidence in the evidence for avoidability of the hospitalization:

1. Virtually no evidence of avoidability of hypertension admission

2. Slight to modest evidence of avoidability of hypertension admission

3. Evidence of avoidability of hypertension admission is a “close call” (50/50)

4. Strong evidence of avoidability of hypertension admission

5. Virtually certain evidence of avoidability of hypertension admission