A controlled trial of a critical pathway for treatment of community- acquired pneumonia
| Publication Type | | Caremap |
| Year of Publication | | 2000 |
| Authors | | Marrie, T. J.; Lau, C. Y.; Wheeler, S. L.; Wong, C. J.; Vandervoort, M. K.; Feagan, B. G. |
| Journal | | Journal of the American Medical Association |
| Volume | | 283 |
| Number | | 6 |
| Pagination | | 749-755 |
| Type of Work | | Journal Article |
| Topic | | Pneumonia |
| Abstract | | This article describes a randomized controlled trial for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, using a critical pathway.
The pathway has 3 components:
- use of a clinical prediction rule to assist the admission decision
- treatment with levofloxacin
- practice guidelines for the care of inpatients, with criteria for switching from intravenous to oral antibiotics and discharge from hospital.
Hospitals (Canadian teaching or community hospitals) were randomly assigned to either follow the pathway (n=9) or continue conventional management (n=10). Effectiveness of the pathway was measured by a quality of life survey and resource utilization.
Implementation of the critical pathway reduced the use of institutional resources without causing adverse effects on the well-being of patients ( decreased length of stay, decreased number of intravenous antibiotic therapy days).
|
| Cluzeau rating | | 12 |
| Evidence rating | | 3 |
| Inter-rater reliability | | 0.9 |
| Combined score | | 53 |
| | |
|
