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

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Nicholas P Emptage, MAE; Marguerite A Koster, MA, MFT; Joanne E Schottinger, MD; Diana B Petitti, MD, MPH

Spring 2007 - Volume 11 Number 2

https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/06-160

Introduction

Every physician is familiar with the impact that findings from studies published in scientific journals can have on medical practice, especially when the findings are amplified by popular press coverage and direct-to- consumer advertising. New studies are continually published in prominent journals, often proposing significant and costly changes in clinical practice. This situation has the potential to adversely affect the quality, delivery, and cost of care, especially if the proposed changes are not supported by the study's data. Reports about the results of a single
study do not portray the many considerations inherent in a decision to recommend or not recommend an intervention in the context of a large health care organization like Kaiser Permanente (KP).