McMaster University

About: McMaster University is a education organization based out in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 41361 authors who have published 101269 publications receiving 4251422 citations.

EDF Statistics for Goodness of Fit and Some Comparisons

Abstract: This article offers a practical guide to goodness-of-fit tests using statistics based on the empirical distribution function (EDF). Five of the leading statistics are examined—those often labelled D, W 2, V, U 2, A 2—and three important situations: where the hypothesized distribution F(x) is completely specified and where F(x) represents the normal or exponential distribution with one or more parameters to be estimated from the data. EDF statistics are easily calculated, and the tests require only one line of significance points for each situation. They are also shown to be competitive in terms of power.

Effects of computerized clinical decision support systems on practitioner performance and patient outcomes: a systematic review.

Abstract: ContextDevelopers of health care software have attributed improvements in patient care to these applications. As with any health care intervention, such claims require confirmation in clinical trials.ObjectivesTo review controlled trials assessing the effects of computerized clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) and to identify study characteristics predicting benefit.Data SourcesWe updated our earlier reviews by searching the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Inspec, and ISI databases and consulting reference lists through September 2004. Authors of 64 primary studies confirmed data or provided additional information.Study SelectionWe included randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of a CDSS compared with care provided without a CDSS on practitioner performance or patient outcomes.Data ExtractionTeams of 2 reviewers independently abstracted data on methods, setting, CDSS and patient characteristics, and outcomes.Data SynthesisOne hundred studies met our inclusion criteria. The number and methodologic quality of studies improved over time. The CDSS improved practitioner performance in 62 (64%) of the 97 studies assessing this outcome, including 4 (40%) of 10 diagnostic systems, 16 (76%) of 21 reminder systems, 23 (62%) of 37 disease management systems, and 19 (66%) of 29 drug-dosing or prescribing systems. Fifty-two trials assessed 1 or more patient outcomes, of which 7 trials (13%) reported improvements. Improved practitioner performance was associated with CDSSs that automatically prompted users compared with requiring users to activate the system (success in 73% of trials vs 47%; P = .02) and studies in which the authors also developed the CDSS software compared with studies in which the authors were not the developers (74% success vs 28%; respectively, P = .001).ConclusionsMany CDSSs improve practitioner performance. To date, the effects on patient outcomes remain understudied and, when studied, inconsistent.