Search

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2008.11.023 Byline: Carlos O. Cruz, Emily B. Meshberg, Frances S. Shofer, Christine M. McCusker, Anna Marie Chang, Judd E. Hollander Abstract: Clinical research requires high-quality data collection. Data collected at the emergency department evaluation is generally considered more precise than data collected through chart abstraction but is cumbersome and time consuming. We test whether trained research assistants without a medical background can obtain clinical research data as accurately as physicians. We hypothesize that they would be at least as accurate because they would not be distracted by clinical requirements. Author Affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Article History: Received 14 September 2008; Revised 4 November 2008; Accepted 26 November 2008 Article Note: (footnote) Provide feedback on this article at the journal's Web site, www.annemergmed.com., Supervising editors: Jason S. Haukoos, MD, MS; Steven M. Green, MD, Dr. Haukoos and Dr. Green were the supervising editors on this article. Dr. Hollander did not participate in the editorial review or decision to publish this article., Author contributions: COC, EBM, CMM, AMC, and JEH contributed to data collection. COC, FSS, AMC, and JEH wrote the article. COC, EBM, FSS, CMM, and AMC critically reviewed the article. EBM, FSS, CMM, and JEH contributed to study design. EBM, FSS, CMM, AMC, and JEH analyzed and interpreted the data. FSS was overall statistician for the project. JEH was the principal investigator for the study, collated comments from other authors, and takes overall responsibility for the data. COC takes responsibility for the paper as a whole., Funding and support: By Annals policy, all authors are required to disclose any and all commercial, financial, and other relationships in any way related to the subject of this article that might create any potential conflict of interest. The authors have stated that no such relationships exist. See the Manuscript Submission Agreement in this issue for examples of specific conflicts covered by this statement., Publication date: Available online January 29, 2009., Reprints not available from the authors.