Ottawa Leg Rules I'm picking this Wikipedia as an illustration of how Think works
Medicine these days is about standardization and best procedures.
STANDARDIZATION
Standardization means different things to different people. Standardization in healthcare is often defined as the process by which healthcare products and services are chosen by a committee of key stakeholders, considering evidence-based results, to ensure quality patient care while adhering to fiscal responsibility.
Standardization is a commonly misunderstood term in the healthcare industry and can take on a negative connotation as a “cookie-cutter” approach. For healthcare leaders looking for a competitive advantage, standardization represents efficiency. Standardization helps decrease variation, which increases quality and safety while reducing costs. From a healthcare manager’s perspective, standardization helps foster an environment of quality patient care.
Standardization, especially in healthcare, minimizes the risk of errors, increases patient safety, and can actually improve the patient experience.
Ottawa knee rules
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ottawa knee rules are a set of rules used to help physicians determine whether an x-ray of the knee is needed.[1]
They state that an X-ray is required only in patients who have an acute knee injury with one or more of the following:
- Age 55 years or older
- Tenderness at head of fibula
- Isolated tenderness of patella
- Inability to flex the knee greater than 90°
- Inability to bear weight both immediately and in the emergency department (4 steps)
The Ottawa knee rules were derived to aid in the efficient use of radiography in acute knee injuries and have since been prospectively validated on multiple occasions in different populations and in both children and adults.[2] Some studies found the sensitivity of the Ottawa knee rules is 98-100% for clinically significant knee fractures, meaning that 98-100% of all patients with a fracture will meet the criteria for X-ray. However, specificity for the Ottawa knee rules is typically poor, meaning that a significant proportion of those who meet Ottawa knee criteria will have no knee fracture on X-ray. The Pittsburgh knee rules have been found to be more specific in diagnosis.[3]
Clinical decision guidelines such as these not only avoid unnecessary health care and its costs but also help minimize exposure to ionizing radiation. Such radiation is necessary for radiography but may raise risk for cancer, so physicians try to avoid using it whenever practical.