International journal of technology assessment in health care
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Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 2000
The development of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Integrating medical science and practice.
Practice guidelines are rapidly becoming preferred decision-making resources in medicine, as advances in technology and pharmaceutics continue to expand. An evidence-based approach to the development of practice guidelines serves to anchor healthcare policy to scientific documentation, and in conjunction with practitioner opinion can provide a powerful and practical clinical tool. ⋯ Evidence-based practice guidelines, in conjunction with practice standards and practice advisories, are invaluable resources for clinical decision making. The judicious use of these documents by practitioners will serve to improve the efficiency and safety of health care well.
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Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 2000
A tool to improve quality of reporting published economic analyses.
To test the feasibility of obtaining a baseline level of quality of reporting for cost-utility analysis (CUA) studies using the British Medical Journal economic submissions checklist, test interrater reliability of this tool, and discuss its longer term implications. ⋯ The British Medical Journal checklist is a feasible tool to collect baseline information on the quality of reporting in journals other than the British Medical Journal. Editors of specialist medical journals are in greatest need of economic guidance. If handled carefully, they might consider adopting the British Medical Journal checklist.
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Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 2000
The use and impact of rapid health technology assessments.
To consider the impact of rapid health technology assessments undertaken as part of a program in a provincial healthcare system in response to urgent requests for advice. ⋯ These brief reports are considered to be a useful component of a health technology assessment program. However, they should be regarded as provisional appraisals and followed up with more detailed evaluation where possible.
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Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 2000
Socioeconomic costs of rheumatic diseases. Implications for technology assessment.
To study the socioeconomic impact of rheumatic illness in Sweden and to discuss the consequences for technology assessment studies. ⋯ A discussion of solutions for financial cooperation between county councils and regional social insurance offices should be considered. The new biotechnological pharmaceuticals will increase the cost for drugs in health care about 20 times, but the total socioeconomic cost for society may remain at the same level due to a decrease of inpatient costs and indirect costs for loss of production as well as a decrease of transfer payments from social insurance. It is unavoidable that the new pharmaceuticals require priority discussions and active resource allocation in health care and in other sectors of society.
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Int J Technol Assess Health Care · Jan 1999
How urgent are emergency admissions? An evaluation of emergency admissions to general hospitals in a Norwegian county.
To assess necessary treatment and degree of urgency for patients admitted to emergency rooms, and potential health consequences of transfer to nearest alternative hospital. ⋯ Fewer than 10% of the patients who are admitted as emergency cases to general hospitals in Norway need surgical or intensive medical treatment within 8 hours of their arrival. The medical consequences of transport of patients to the nearest alternative hospital are generally small and can often be further reduced by simple means.