Section C

Producers and Users of Systematic Reviews

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Who Is Doing Systematic Reviews?

Independent authors
Cochrane Collaboration
Groups interested in policy (professional societies, governments, payers)
US: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence-based Practice Centers,
US Preventive Services Task Force
UK: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Health Technology
Assessments
Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care
Businesses: Hayes, ECRI

Who Is Using Systematic Reviews? Decision Makers

Individual doctors and researchers
Patients and consumers
Guidelines producers
Policy makers
Purchasers
Payers
Regulatory authorities

Level of Evidence

Features of a Systematic Review

Facilitate efficient integration of
information for rational decision
making

Meta-analysis can provide more

precise estimates than individual
studies

Provide a clear and transparent

process

Can be readily updated, as needed.

Demonstrate where the effects of

health care are consistent and where
they vary

Allows decisions based on the totality

of the available evidence

Minimize bias (systematic errors) and

reduce chance effects
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Recommended
Readings

Recommended
Readings

The Cochrane Collaboration

prepares, maintains, and promotes the
accessibility of systematic reviews of the
effects of healthcare interventions.
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14 Cochrane
Centers around
the World

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Cochrane Library

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Published Daily by John Wiley, Inc.

Cochrane Systematic Reviews (6,388 complete)
Non-Cochrane Reviews (36,795)
CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials (848,327)
Health Technology Assessments (17,397)
Economic Assessments (15,015)
(as of Issue 4, 2015)

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Key Messages
Systematic review uses explicit methods to identify, select, appraise, and synthesize
results from similar but separate studies

Meta-analysis, the statistical analysis of a large collection of results from individual

studies is an optional component of a systematic review
The Cochrane Library, main product of the Cochrane Collaboration is the single best
place to find independent, high-quality evidence for health care decision making

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