Evidence Based Practice

Be sure to consider the following when applying results to patient care.

For future reference, download the Diagnostic Test Worksheet.

Will the reproducibility of the test result and its interpretation be satisfactory in your clinical setting?    

• Does the test yield the same result when reapplied to stable participants?
• Do different observers agree about the test results?

Are the study results applicable to the patients in your practice?

• Does the test perform differently (different LRs) for different severities of disease?
• Does the test perform differently for populations with different mixes of competing conditions?

Will the test results change your management strategy?

• What are the test and treatment thresholds for the health condition to be detected?   
• Are the test LRs high or low enough to shift post-test probability across a test or treatment threshold?

Will patients be better off as a result of the test?

• Will patient care differ for different test results?
• Will the anticipated changes in care do more good than harm?

Knowledge Check: When applying the results of a diagnostic test study to patient care, which of the following best reflects appropriate clinical consideration?

A) Focus on the test’s sensitivity and specificity since they determine how it will perform for all patients.
B) Evaluate whether the test’s reproducibility, applicability to your population, and impact on management decisions will ultimately improve patient outcomes.
C) Assume that likelihood ratios and disease thresholds remain consistent across all populations and disease severities.