Understanding Evidence on screening, diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tests

The Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice and The Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University on the Gold Coast are pleased to invite you to their 2013 evidence based diagnostics workshop.  Dates to be confirmed in either August or September 2013.

The Bond University Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice (CREBP) was established by Professor Paul Glasziou in July 2010 to support research into Evidence-Based Practice. As a leader in Evidence-Based Medicine, Professor Glasziou and his colleagues work to improve health care by developing better communication between clinicians and researchers, and a clearer understanding of the causes of, and solutions to, gaps between research evidence and its application in practice. The Centre has a joint program grant in screening and diagnostics STEP with Sydney University.

Evidence-Based Diagnostics

Evidence-based medicine is the process of life-long, self-directed learning in which caring for patients leads to the search for, critical appraisal, and incorporation into practice of valid and clinically important information about diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, and other clinical and health-care issues. Evidence-Based diagnostics testing is the application of this process of using research evidence to assist with decisions about the usage and interpretation of diagnostic screening, prognostic and monitoring tests.

Costs

Who should attend this workshop?

The workshop is for clinicians and laboratory staff who are interested in how to improve their, and others, usage and interpretation of. It will be of particular interest to those whose work is largely involves testing, such as those working in laboratory medicine and radiology or for those where tests are used as part of the decision making for starting or continuing treatment.

You should consider attending if you:

• work in areas that regularly use diagnostic tests
• are committed to the use of evidence to improve diagnostics

Workshop Themes

The workshop is aimed at giving a thorough grounding in standard and new methods in diagnostic research methods, including the appraisal of diagnostic accuracy studies, systematic reviews of diagnostic studies.

After the workshop, participants should be able to:

1. Formulate answerable diagnostic and monitoring questions
2. Search effectively for evidence on diagnostic and monitoring tests
3. Critically appraise evidence about diagnostic accuracy or impact, and assess it for its validity and applicability
4. Understand measures of accuracy such as sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and ROC statistics
5. Understand the basics of diagnostic meta-analysis and decision analysis

Workshop Format

Most of the Workshop will be conducted in small groups in which participants will develop their knowledge and skills. Plenary sessions will present and discuss core issues in evidence-based diagnostics. Time will be provided each day for searching, study and the establishment of working groups. There will be opportunities to continue and develop working groups during informal social events.

Workshop Facilitators

The workshop facilitators have a wide experience in the design and analysis or both primary and secondary research on diagnostics. Including Professor Paul Glasziou, Professor Jenny Doust, Associate Professor Elaine Beller and Assistant Professor Sharon Sanders.

Program – to be confirmed

When

28 August 2013 - 30 August 2013
9am - 5.30pm

Where

Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
 Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University

Contact Information

Assistant Professor Chrissy Erueti
Email: cerueti@bond.edu.au
Phone: (07)5595 4482