Beyond statistical significance: Embracing minimal clinically important difference for better patient care

Table 2 Challenges and controversies in minimal clinically important difference implementation

Challenge category	Specific issue	Impact on MCID application	Proposed solution
Methodological	Variability in calculation methods	Leads to inconsistent MCID values	Standardize calculation methods and develop guidelines
Interpretational	Misinterpretation of what changes are clinically important	Can result in inappropriate treatment decisions	Educate clinicians on nuanced interpretation of MCID values
Demographic influence	Variations in MCID across different patient demographics	Difficulty applying MCID universally	Conduct cross-cultural studies to validate MCID in diverse populations
Clinical application	Generic use in individual patient management	May overlook individual patient needs	Tailor MCID application by incorporating individual patient preferences
Research and policy	Lack of standardized reporting in research	Hampers the comparability of studies	Implement uniform reporting standards for MCID findings
Patient involvement	Limited patient input in setting MCID thresholds	May not reflect true patient priorities	Increase patient involvement through advisory panels and participatory research

MCID: Minimal clinically important difference.