Appropriate use criteria
Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) specify when it is appropriate to perform a medical procedure or service. An “appropriate” procedure is one for which the expected health benefits exceed the expected health risks by a wide margin.
AUC are sometimes referred to as Appropriateness Criteria (AC).
Ideally, AUC are evidence-based, but in the absence of sufficient evidence, may be derived from a consensus of expert opinion. AUC are typically classified in terms of the quality of the evidence on which they are based. In general, AUC are promulgated by medical specialty organizations (professional societies).
The definition of "appropriate" is subject to interpretation. For example, a key issue is whether or not a procedure or investigation can be deemed appropriate if it does not result in a change in management[1].
Relative costs of alternative appropriate procedures may or may not be considered in selecting a procedure, but in there is evidence that performing only appropriate procedures reduces cost overall[2]. To reduce the cost of (advanced) diagnostic imaging tests, a requirement for the use of clinical decision support for was included in the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, though it does not apply to emergency or inpatient services.
AUC may be promulgated in human-readable form, or converted into an electronic structured form for use in a Clinical decision support system, such as a CPOE system.
References
- ^ Armstrong W (2013-09-23). "Appropriate use criteria in echocardiography: Is no change the same as no benefit?". JAMA Internal Medicine. 173 (17): 1609–1610. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.7273. ISSN 2168-6106.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Puri, Pranav (2013-03-12). "THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF APPROPRIATE USE CRITERIA ON VOLUME OF PCI CASES AND MEDICAL COST SAVINGS AT A LARGE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL". Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 61 (10_S). doi:10.1016/S0735-1097(13)61499-0. ISSN 0735-1097.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help)
External links
- American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) - Appropriate use criteria
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) - What Are Appropriate Use Criteria?
- American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) Appropriate Use Criteria
- American College of Radiology (ACR) - About the ACR Appropriateness Criteria
- American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) - Appropriate Use Criteria
- North American Spine Society (NASS) - Appropriate Use Criteria
- Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) - Appropriate Use Criteria