Table 2

Epidemiological model for outcomes research to evaluate practice guidelines

Outcome =

Exposure +

Confounders +

Error

• Clinical outcomes (for example, disease development, complications)

• Practice patterns

• Extraneous factors that can influence practice patterns and outcomes, that is, initial conditions

• Misclassification of diagnosis, practice patterns and outcomes

• Quality

• Error in measurement of practice patterns and outcomes

• Cost

• Appropriateness

• Unmeasured factors

Pilote and Tager BMC Health Services Research 2002 2:7   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-2-7