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. 2020 Aug 1;12(8):e9509.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.9509.

A Systematic Review Protocol to Determine the Most Effective Strategies to Reduce Computed Tomography Usage in the Emergency Department

Jason L Elzinga  1 , Cody L Dunne  1 , Allen Vorobeichik  1 , Diana Keto-Lambert  2 , Daniel Grigat  3 , Eddy Lang  1 , Shawn Dowling  4
Affiliations

A Systematic Review Protocol to Determine the Most Effective Strategies to Reduce Computed Tomography Usage in the Emergency Department

Jason L Elzinga et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

This study describes the protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. The primary objective of the review is to identify experimental studies assessing the effectiveness of interventions that aim to reduce the proportion of computed tomography (CT) in emergency departments (EDs). Data permitting, our secondary objectives will be to assess the impact of reduction in CT utilization on the length of stay, admission to hospital, and uptake/satisfaction with the intervention. When available, balancing measures such as readmission to hospital or ED revisit rates will be included. Pre-defined subgroup analyses include patient populations (adult or pediatric), type of ED, and the nature of the intervention. Through this review, the research team aims to inform knowledge translation initiatives aimed at lowering CT usage in the ED by identifying the most effective interventions to safely improve CT resource stewardship.

Keywords: computed tomography; ct use; emergency department; meta-analysis; radiography; reduction intervention; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Standardized tool utilized by reviewers for article selection
CT, computed tomography; ED, emergency department
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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