Critical Appraisal of Clinical Studies: An Example from Computed Tomography Screening for Lung Cancer

The Southern California Permanente Medical Group’s Technology Assessment and Guidelines (TAG) Unit critically appraises studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals and provides evidence summaries to assist senior leaders and physicians in applying study findings to clinical practice. In the following sections, we provide a recent example of the TAG Unit’s critical appraisal of a highly publicized study, highlighting key steps involved in the critical appraisal process. Critical Appraisal: The I-ELCAP Study