The need for consensus, consistency, and core outcome sets in perioperative research

Excerpt

Never before has it been more critical to evaluate the selection and measurement of outcomes. Accurate data, which may be made public, are required for clinical revalidation. As well, institutional level performance data are tied to government goals to achieve targets and make comparisons between centres. Patients require accurate outcome data to be communicated within shared decision-making consultations, and in the research setting, synthesis and meta-analysis of outcomes from well-designed and conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have a critical influence on both health policy and clinical practice. It is vital, therefore, that the relevant stakeholders carefully select and measure the outcomes in these significant evaluations of healthcare interventions in valid and reproducible ways. …