Systematic reviews for evidence-based management: How to find them and what to do with them

Objective: To identify strategies for retrieval and evaluation of systematic reviews from a management perspective. Study Design: Review of available literature and resources on systematic reviews. Methods: From published literature on evidence-based medicine and systematic review, we identified resources and adapted retrieval and evaluation strategies for Healthcare managers. A published systematic review then was assessed for quality and relevance to management decisions. Results: Systematic reviews relevant to the organization and delivery of care are available. Criteria for evaluating the relevance and quality of systematic reviews on clinical topics may be adapted for systematic reviews on organizational topics. However, even a systematic review that focuses on an organizational topic can lack important information on costs and study setting. Conclusions: Greater familiarity with the retrieval and evaluation of systematic reviews can help managers use these sources effectively and encourage the development of evidence-based management.