Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38760697›Full record

SynthesisBMC emergency medicine2024

Effectiveness of implementation strategies for increasing clinicians' use of five validated imaging decision rules for musculoskeletal injuries: a systematic review.

Priti Kharel, Joshua R Zadro, Grace Wong, Kittirut Rojanabenjawong, Adrian Traeger, James Linklater, Christopher G Maher

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC emergency medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
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

7 authors.

Priti KharelThe University of Sydney, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia, PO Box M179, Priti Kharel - Level 10 North, King George V Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, 2050. priti.kharel@sydney.edu.au.
Joshua R ZadroThe University of Sydney, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia, PO Box M179, Priti Kharel - Level 10 North, King George V Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, 2050.
Grace WongSydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Kittirut RojanabenjawongSydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Adrian TraegerThe University of Sydney, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia, PO Box M179, Priti Kharel - Level 10 North, King George V Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, 2050.
James LinklaterCastlereagh Imaging, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Christopher G MaherThe University of Sydney, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia, PO Box M179, Priti Kharel - Level 10 North, King George V Building, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Missenden Road, 2050.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStrategies to enhance clinicians' adherence to validated imaging decision rules and increase the appropriateness of imaging remain unclear.

objectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of various implementation strategies for increasing clinicians' use of five validated imaging decision rules (Ottawa Ankle Rules, Ottawa Knee Rule, Canadian C-Spine Rule, National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study and Canadian Computed Tomography Head Rule).

designSystematic review.

methodsThe inclusion criteria were experimental, quasi-experimental study designs comprising randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised controlled trials, and single-arm trials (i.e. prospective observational studies) of implementation interventions in any care setting. The search encompassed electronic databases up to March 11, 2024, including MEDLINE (via Ovid), CINAHL (via EBSCO), EMBASE (via Ovid), Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Scopus. Two reviewers assessed the risk of bias of studies independently using the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care Group (EPOC) risk of bias tool. The primary outcome was clinicians' use of decision rules. Secondary outcomes included imaging use (indicated, non-indicated and overall) and knowledge of the rules.

resultsWe included 22 studies (5-RCTs, 1-non-RCT and 16-single-arm trials), conducted in emergency care settings in six countries (USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Ireland and France). One RCT suggested that reminders may be effective at increasing clinicians' use of Ottawa Ankle Rules but may also increase the use of ankle radiography. Two RCTs that combined multiple intervention strategies showed mixed results for ankle imaging and head CT use. One combining educational meetings and materials on Ottawa Ankle Rules reduced ankle injury imaging among ED physicians, while another, with similar efforts plus clinical practice guidelines and reminders for the Canadian CT Head Rule, increased CT imaging for head injuries. For knowledge, one RCT suggested that distributing guidelines had a limited short-term impact but improved clinicians' long-term knowledge of the Ottawa Ankle Rules.

conclusionInterventions such as pop-up reminders, educational meetings, and posters may improve adherence to the Ottawa Ankle Rules, Ottawa Knee Rule, and Canadian CT Head Rule. Reminders may reduce non-indicated imaging for knee and ankle injuries. The uncertain quality of evidence indicates the need for well-conducted RCTs to establish effectiveness of implementation strategies.

Indexed as

Clinical Decision RulesGuideline AdherenceHumansMusculoskeletal SystemTomography, X-Ray ComputedCanadian C-spine RuleCanadian CT Head RuleNEXUS guidelinesOttawa Ankle Rules and Ottawa knee Rule

Identifiers

PMID38760697
PMCPMC11100091

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.