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Christina Hwang, Contributing Reporter | September 14, 2016
A new tool from Harvard Medical School (HMS) called the Library of Evidence aims to help clinicians make smarter decisions in ordering scans of their patients while also providing insights on other imaging-related queries — and it's totally free to use.
The digital database contains information from a number of different sources, such as scientific evidence, published research, and professional organizations’ guidelines related to imaging.
“It has over 850 individual pieces of evidence, with more being added daily,” Dr. Ali Raja, HMS associate professor of emergency medicine, co-executive director of the Library of Evidence and vice chair of the department of emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, told HCB News. “We’re currently focusing on evidence related to imaging, CTs, X-rays, etc., but will soon be expanding to other specialties."
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“It’s designed for hospitals and physicians to download Clinical Decision Support evidence that they can then incorporate into their own electronic medical records, as mandated by new federal legislation,” said Raja.
When a clinician orders a test, the hospital or health care facility’s system would pull up the library database, which would provide feedback on whether a certain imaging test was most appropriate for the patient or not.
For example, if a CT scan is ordered for a patient with back pain, the library might ask the physician to reconsider the CT scan and have the patient go for an ultrasound instead. It will cite evidence to explain why a different test might be better for the patient.
“The idea is to not merely reduce unnecessary procedures and health care spending but also ensure that when a patient does need a test, they get the most appropriate option first,” said Raja. “Ultimately it’s about improving patient care and health care outcomes.”
The federal legislation that goes into effect in 2018 states that clinicians have to consult “appropriate use” criteria before ordering a test, and the government will only reimburse if the clinicians consult on approved, evidence-based “appropriate use” criteria through certified decision-support systems.
“This is the first freely available, curated, online library of medical evidence anywhere in the world,” Raja noted. “We hope it becomes the go-to source for all physicians and hospitals looking to incorporate evidence-based medicine into their electronic medical record systems.”
