Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
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Meta Analysis
Clinical effectiveness in cardiovascular trials in relation to the importance to the patient of the end-points measured.
In order to increase the statistical power of a trial design, it is common practice for trialists to place a strong emphasis on end-points other than mortality. To assess the validity of this practice, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the effectiveness of cardiovascular interventions in clinical trials and the importance to the patient of the end-point used to measure this effectiveness. ⋯ The proportion of interventions tested in the cardiovascular trials considered in this study that have a substantial beneficial effect relative to the control decreases as the end-point used to measure this effect becomes more important to the patient, that is, as the end-point severity increases from minor outcome to major outcome to death. Also, the analysis presented in this study strongly suggests that most of these interventions are likely to have close to no genuine effect on mortality relative to the control. Overall, this study substantially strengthens the empirical basis for the belief that the actions of trialists in choosing to study and heavily emphasize end-points other than mortality in cardiovascular trials and in particular end-points that are of only moderate or major importance to patients, may mislead practitioners and policy-makers about the overall effectiveness of the intervention concerned.
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Effective tinnitus management starts with appropriate general practitioner (GP) triage, which in England can be guided by the Department of Health's Good Practice Guide (GPG). Despite the prevalence of the condition, there has never been a systematic survey of its management in primary care in England. We aimed to evaluate how people with tinnitus are assessed and managed in general practice, noting variation in practice across GPs and health authorities, and evaluating how closely typical practice aligns to the GPG for tinnitus. ⋯ GP assessment and management of tinnitus represents potential inequity of service for tinnitus patients. While the GPG aims to promote equity of care, it is only referred to by a minority of clinicians and so its utility for guiding service delivery is questionable. Although some GPs highlighted little demand for tinnitus management within their practice, many others expressed an unmet need for specific and concise GP training on tinnitus management. Further work should therefore evaluate current informational resources and propose effective modes of delivering educational updates.
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This paper examines the sources of practice variations and definitions of unwarranted variation, as derived from the literature. The literature suggests variables/factors related to patient health needs, doctor 'practice style' and environmental constraints/opportunities as sources of practice variations. However, this list is likely to be incomplete because of significant unexplained variation in each study. ⋯ Among those offered, more information is needed regarding the scientific basis for including the selected factors, and how to operationalize the framework provided a particular one is chosen. A clear and consistent framework for unwarranted variation, and a clear indication how each component factor could be measured and integrated can help investigators determine which variables should be included in their studies, such that the sources of unwarranted variations may be identified. A better understanding of the role of patient preference as a potential source of practice variations is also required.
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In budget-constrained health systems, decision makers need to consider both the costs and effects of introducing and actively implementing clinical guidance. We aim to demonstrate how, as an alternative to conventional methods, a total net benefit approach to economic evaluation can be used to inform decision making about guidelines and specific implementation strategies, like education or financial incentives. ⋯ In comparison with conventional methods for health economic evaluation, a total net benefit approach allows for the explicit consideration of the current (or future) use of guidelines or guideline recommendations, the cost of implementation and the scope of clinical practice. Decisions made on the basis of the total net benefit of all plausible combinations of clinical guidance and implementation strategies provide optimal patient care and an efficient use of resources.
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Clinical judgment is a central element of the medical profession, essential for the performance of the doctor, and potentially generating information also for other clinicians and for scientists and health care managers. The recently renewed interest in clinical judgement is primarily engaged with its role in communication, diagnosis and decision making. Beyond this issue, the present article highlights the interrelations between clinical judgement, therapy assessment and medical professionalism. ⋯ Consequences of a methodological and logistical advancement of clinical judgment are discussed, both in regard to medical progress and to the renewal of the cognitive basis of the medical profession.