Utilization Review
Users' Guides to the Medical Literature
Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group

Are the Criteria Valid?
Was an explicit and sensible process used to identify, select, and combine evidence for the criteria?
What is the quality of the evidence used in framing the criteria?
If necessary, was an explicit, systematic, and reliable process used to tap expert opinion?
Was an explicit and sensible process used to consider the relative values of different outcomes?
If the quality of the evidence used in originally framing the criteria was weak, have the criteria themselves been correlated with patient outcomes?


Were the Criteria Applied Appropriately?
Was the process of applying the criteria reliable, unbiased, and likely to yield robust conclusions?
What is the impact of uncertainty associated with evidence and values on the criteria-based ratings of process of care?


Can You Use the Criteria in Your Practice Setting
Are the criteria relevant to your practice setting?
Have the criteria been field-tested for feasibility of use in diverse settings, including your own?


Reference:
JAMA 1996:275: 1435-1439

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