title: Canadian CT head rule study for patients with minor head injury: methodology for phase II (validation and economic analysis).
abstract: Prospective validation on a new set of patients is an essential test of a new decision rule. However, many clinical decision rules are not prospectively assessed to determine their accuracy, reliability, clinical sensibility, or potential impact on practice. This validation process is important because many statistically derived rules or guidelines do not perform well when tested in a new population. The methodologic standards for a validation study are similar to those described in the article on phase I for derivation studies in the August 2001 issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine. The goal of phase II is to prospectively assess the accuracy, reliability, and acceptability of the decision rule in a new set of patients with minor head injury. This will determine the clinical utility of the rule and is essential if such a rule is to be widely adopted into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Stiell
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lesiuk
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brison
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Eisenhauer
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Macphail
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reardon
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Worthington
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holroyd
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schull
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laupacis
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003363:Cost Control; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000191:economics*; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000191:economics*