ACOEM adopts rigorous methodology for updates to its Occ Med Practices

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_http://www.acoem.org/news.aspx?id=2528_

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ACOEM adopts rigorous methodology for updates to its Occupational Medicine

Practice Guidelines

CHICAGO, January 12, 2007 – The American College of Occupational and

Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)

has adopted a new more meticulous strength-of-evidence rating methodology for

the updates to its Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines, 2nd Edition.

The enhanced methodology incorporates the highest scientific standards for

reviewing evidence-based literature, thus ensuring the most rigorous,

reproducible, and transparent occupational health guidelines available. The

State of

California recently published intended modifications to its medical treatment

utilization schedule regulations. The proposed revisions reaffirm that ACOEM’

s Guidelines are the foundation for the State’s utilization schedule, and

also propose adoption of ACOEM’s new methodology.

The new methodology features a number of improvements, including advances in:

1) criteria to grade scientific articles; 2) determining

strength-of-evidence ratings for studies; 3) applying a rating of potential for

bias; and 4)

developing evidence-based recommendation categories. “The new methodology

ensures that ACOEM’s Guidelines are maintained at the highest achievable

scientific standards for evidence-based literature,†said Tee L. Guidotti,

MD, MPH,

President of ACOEM. “Improving or restoring the health of workers with

occupationally related illnesses or injuries is a fundamental principle of

occupational and environmental medicine and ACOEM’s new methodology ensures

that our

practice guidelines fulfill that mission.â€

S. Weiss, MD, MPH, Chair of the Guidelines Methodology Committee,

stated that the changes were made “to provide greater consistency, clarity

and

transparency in the evidence-based medicine methodology.†He further noted

that “the criteria to rate articles are purposefully more detailed than in

other available guidelines and that by providing these explicit ratings and

ultimately mapping them to the strength of the evidence, the entire process

becomes more reproducible.â€

[Note: MORE reproducable? How about just reproducable, period]

It also becomes possible for others to critique the process, analyses, and

recommendations, thereby resulting in continual quality improvement.

“The new methodology allows users to more readily determine what was done,

why it was done, and how it was done,†said M. Turkelson, PhD, who

represented the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) as a member

of the Methodology Committee. “As a result, all interested parties should

have much more confidence in the recommendations that emanate from these

guidelines,†he stated.

ACOEM created the Guidelines to improve the efficiency and specificity of

medical diagnosis of workplace-related injuries and diseases, enhance the

effectiveness of treatment, and help occupational and environmental physicians

manage growing caseloads. Currently there are not any guidelines for the care

of

workers produced in the United States that are both as rigorous and

multidisciplinary in scope as are the ACOEM Guidelines.

The Guidelines were first published in 1997 and revised in 2004. They are

presently undergoing a three-year rotating update. The first update will deal

with elbow complaints and is scheduled for publication later this month.

Updates to the spine and hip chapters are scheduled for mid and late 2007

respectively.

The Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines: Evaluation and Management of

Common Health Problems and Functional Recovery in Workers, 2nd Edition, is

published by ACOEM. To inquire about the electronic version or order a print

copy of the Guidelines, call ACOEM at 847/818-1800, or visit _www.acoem.org_

(http://www.acoem.org/) . The Guidelines are $175 for ACOEM members; $199 for

non-members.

Hmmmm? Notice the date of this press release? It was three days after the

Wall Street Journal article " Amid mold suits, experts wear two hats. " What

an odd coincedence, ACOEM guideline methodology in print twice, within just 3

days.

Sharon Kramer

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