Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34702243›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2021

What can we learn from the SARS-COV-2 pandemic about the value of specific radiological examinations?

Bjørn Hofmann, Eivind Richter Andersen, Elin Kjelle

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Bjørn HofmannInstitute for the Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at Gjøvik, PO Box 191, N-2802, Gjøvik, Norway. bjoern.hofmann@ntnu.no.
Eivind Richter AndersenInstitute for the Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at Gjøvik, PO Box 191, N-2802, Gjøvik, Norway.
Elin KjelleInstitute for the Health Sciences at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at Gjøvik, PO Box 191, N-2802, Gjøvik, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe SARS-COV-2 pandemic provides a natural intervention to assess practical priority setting and internal evaluation of specific health services, such as radiological services. Norway makes an excellent case as it had a very low infection rate and very few cases of COVID-19. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to use the changes in performed outpatient radiological examinations during the first stages of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic to assess the practical evaluation of specific radiological examinations in Norway.

methodsData was collected retrospectively from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration (HELFO) in the years 2015-2020. Data included the number of performed outpatient imaging examinations at public hospitals and private imaging centers in Norway and was divided in to three periods based on the level of restrictions on elective health services. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics.

resultsIn the first period there was a 45% reduction in outpatient radiology compared to the same time period in 2015-2019 while in period 2 and 3 there was a 25 and 6% reduction respectively. The study identified a list of specific potential low-value radiological examinations. While some of these are covered by the Choosing Wisely campaign, others are not.

conclusionBy studying the priority setting practice during the initial phases of the pandemic this study identifies a set of potential low value radiological examinations during the initial phases of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. These examinations are candidates for closer assessments for health services quality improvement.

Indexed as

COVID-19PandemicsHumansRadiographyRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2AppropriatenessChoosing wiselyCovid-19EthicsLow-value careSARS-COV-2

Identifiers

PMID34702243
PMCPMC8546787

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.