Evidence-Based Emergency Care - Diagnostic Testing and Clinical Decision Rules 2e 2nd Edition

“One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was being able to examine actual sensitivities, specificities, and likelihood ratios of various decision instruments and diagnostic tests that I use daily. It was also  enlightening to learn several diagnostic strategies and decision instruments that I previously had not used.”  (Annals of Emergency Medicine, 1 August 2013)

“This is an excellent resource for clinicians seeking to provide evidence-based care in emergency medicine. It is a comprehensive and reliable resource that helps reach a balance between overuse and underuse of diagnostic testing. The information is presented in a concise format that can be used during clinical encounters or for more exhaustive reviews of the literature surrounding a clinical question. As evidence-based emergency medicine is a rapidly changing and advancing field, this updated edition is certainly justified.”  (Doody’s, 7 June 2013)

However, determining which elements of the patient history, findings on the physical exam, and laboratory and imaging results to use can be challenging for emergency physicians and other providers in acute care settings. Evidence-Based Emergency Care: Diagnostic Testing and Clinical Decision Rules will equip you with the information you need to:

• Interpret and draw practical conclusions from published studies
• Understand both bottom-line conclusions and limitations of the various studies on diagnostic testing and clinical decision rules
• Learn how to make the best decision for your patient based on up-to-date evidence

Part I provides an overview of the science of diagnostic testing, reviewing the process behind
the development of clinical decision rules and exploring the increasing pressures to improve the efficiency of diagnostic test utilization faced by emergency practitioners.

Subsequent chapters focus on practical questions that have been addressed through original research studies. The authors provide a review of the current literature on a specific question, an interpretation of the clinical question in the context of the literature (focusing on the actual data behind the studies being referenced) and, finally, how the evidence can be most appropriately applied to the care of emergency patients.

More than ever, you need Evidence-Based Emergency Care: Diagnostic Testing and Clinical Decision Rules, a trusted guide to the evidence on diagnostic testing in the emergency setting that will help you make