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Consensus Among Experts and Research Synthesis: A Comparison of Methods

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Paul M. Wortman ,
Joshua M. Smyth ,
John C. Langenbrunner  and
William H. Yeaton
Paul M. Wortman
Affiliation:
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Joshua M. Smyth
Affiliation:
State University of New York at Stony Brook
John C. Langenbrunner
Affiliation:
The World Bank
William H. Yeaton
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
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Abstract

A comparison of two assessment methods, consensus among experts and research synthesis of the scientific literature, was performed using a surgical procedure, carotid endarterectomy (CE), as an example. These two methods have been widely advocated as being scientifically valid. While the comparison revealed a number of areas of general agreement, important differences between the two methods emerged. For example, 30-day mortality for asymptomatic patients was considered an effective outcome (ranked first) by the synthesis, but only “quivocal” (ranked third) of six major indicators reported by the consensus method. The synthesis results are also consistent with other literature reviews as well as with recent large-scale randomized trial results. A number of factors that could account for differences between the two methods were examined. Overall, use of consensus panels may be appropriate early in the development of an intervention where the evidence is sparse, while quantitative research synthesis is preferable when a number of high-quality studies have been performed.

Type
General Essays
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , Winter 1998 , pp. 109 - 122
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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