Keywords

evidence-based practice, health services administration, meta-analysis, systematic review

 

Authors

  1. Forrestal, Elizabeth J. PhD, RHIA, CCS, FAHIMA

Abstract

This article is a continuation of a 2-part series that seeks to build the skills of health care managers and supervisors in critically reading and interpreting systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The first article, part I, defined the types of systematic reviews and outlined the process of conducting them. This article, part II, focuses on meta-analysis, a type of systematic review. This article explains the additional procedures associated with meta-analyses and describes the potential shortcomings of both systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Finally, this article provides a way for health care managers and supervisors to appraise systematic reviews and meta-analyses and to determine whether the evidence applies to their problems and settings.