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An Evaluation of Effectiveness

Mark A. Sherman, PhD

JAMA. 1979;241(18):1899-1901.

Abstract
Implementation of mobile intensive care units in four suburban communities permitted a retrospective evaluation of their impact on patient outcome. Data on 1,796 cases of myocardial infarction were obtained from medical records and death certificates of patients arriving at four hospitals during a 65-month period. There were statistically significant reductions in mortality rates in two communities (41.1% to 23.9% and 37.6% to 27.0%) after the service began. A reduction in one community (34.5% to 22.0%) was not statistically significant, and the fourth community showed an increase in the mortality rate (31.1% to 44.0%). Analysis of plausible rival hypotheses permitted most of these to be ruled out as causes for the observed reductions in mortality.

(JAMA 241:1899-1901, 1979)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, III. Dr Sherman is now with the Center for Community Health Systems, Columbia University, New York.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Center for Community Health Systems, Columbia University, 21 Audubon Ave, New York, NY 10032 (Dr Sherman).

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