Premium
Designing a study for evaluating a protocol for the selective performance of preoperative tests
Author(s) -
Charpak Yves,
Bléry Christian,
Chastang Claude
Publication year - 1987
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.4780060712
Subject(s) - protocol (science) , computer science , statistics , medicine , mathematics , alternative medicine , pathology
Some basic concepts concerning classification of studies evaluating diagnostic procedures are given. The specific problem of assessment of routine preoperative tests is discussed: actual knowledge and methodological criticisms of previous studies, hypothesis for further evaluations, difficulties in the choice of a design and realization of a clinical study to assess a protocol for selective ordering of preoperative tests during one year in a teaching hospital. 3866 consecutive patients were included. The protocol led to perform only 33 per cent of all potential tests and did not apparently produce major adverse effects on the quality of care as appreciated by a clinical decision analysis.