The Reliability of Clinical Methods, Data and Judgments

Abstract

(Second of Two Parts)Interpreting Diagnostic ProceduresElectrocardiograph (Table 3)Efforts are under way to minimize sources of observer disagreement in electrocardiographic interpretation by use of codes, averaging of readings, computer analysis, and other methods.^{35 36 37} Even with completely reliable computerized reading, the diagnostic implications of electrocardiographic changes depend on the patient's age, sex, and clinical situation. In the following studies, the clinical information available to the readers varied.Gorman and his associates³⁰ compared two independent interpretations of an unselected series of 561 electrocardiograms of adult inpatients. The tracings were read first by one of three electrocardiographers and then by one . . .