Category: C

A group of collaborating authors who review the literature of the effects of health care, using explicitly defined procedures in order to reduce the effects of bias in the reviews. The groups are expected to develop the reviews and to maintain them, i.e., to keep abreast of the literature and to modify the reviews as…

An international network of individuals and institutions committed to preparing, maintaining, and disseminating systematic reviews of the effects of health care. It was founded in 1993 in England and named in honor of Archie Cochrane, the eminent physician-epidemiologist. The first such reviews, relating to pregnancy and childbirth, were the prototype studies which led to the…

A technique for stimulating the heart (and producing some circulation of the blood) by compressing the heart between the spine and the breast bone. Pressure is applied by the hands pressing on the front of the chest with the patient lying on his back. The technique is a part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).  

A division of the medical staff according to clinical specialty, such as surgery, specialties of surgery, internal medicine, specialties of internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, neurology, and the like. In some hospitals, clinical services are called departments; for example, the “surgical service” may mean the same thing as the “surgical department.” In other instances,…

A rule which uses specified clinical findings to made predictions (decisions) about the diagnostic or management course to be used for a specific patient. A set of standards which should be met by an acceptable prediction rule has been set forth. With the increased use of computers, the numbers of such rules appearing in the…

A specialized librarian in a teaching hospital who participates in teaching activities (including those at the bedside), making notes of questions, and then obtaining relevant literature.  

An act passed by Congress in 1988 with the goal of improving office laboratory quality. Office laboratory procedures were classified by level of complexity and regulations were established for each level.  

A person who has been designated as the individual responsible for a specific piece of research involving patients, particularly under a research grant from the federal government or a drug company.  

An individual with academic training in this specialty, training which in some institutions can lead to a PhD degree.  

A person who is involved with patient care equipment and instruments. The duties ordinarily include maintenance, instruction in use, and solving problems requiring adaptation to special situations.