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Evaluation of clinical decision‐aids, with an application to a system for dyspepsia
Author(s) -
Spiegelhalter D. J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
statistics in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.996
H-Index - 183
eISSN - 1097-0258
pISSN - 0277-6715
DOI - 10.1002/sim.4780020215
Subject(s) - parallels , audit , medical physics , medicine , computer science , management science , operations management , economics , management
The evaluation of clinical decision‐aids is discussed both in general and in the particular case of a microcomputer‐based system designed to help general practitioners in deciding whether to refer patients with dyspepsia for specialist care. Parallels are drawn with the established framework for evaluating a new therapy, including a description of four phases of evaluation and the contrast between pragmatic and explanatory trials. Past studies are reviewed, emphasizing the difficulties of establishing a credible control group, and including some relevant examples from the areas of evaluating new diagnostic technology, medical information systems and audit procedures.