Evidence Synthesis Ireland (ESI), which hosts Cochrane Ireland, aims to make evidence syntheses more usable in every sense of the word – better designed, conducted and reported, more useable for decision-makers and more usable within health care policy and clinical practice decision making across the island of Ireland and beyond.
We provide education for researchers, clinicians, the public and policymakers who conduct or use evidence syntheses.
We build capacity in planning, doing and sharing evidence syntheses through Fellowships, workshops and scholarships.
We advance the way we plan, do and share the results of evidence synthesis by finding out how to do these steps better.
march 2024
Background: Rapid reviews are a time-sensitive and efficient approach to evidence synthesis used in healthcare decision-making. As the demand for timely and reliable evidence increases, traditional systematic reviews may
Background:
Rapid reviews are a time-sensitive and efficient approach to evidence synthesis used in healthcare decision-making. As the demand for timely and reliable evidence increases, traditional systematic reviews may not always be feasible due to their resource-intensive and lengthy nature. Although rapid reviews may not offer the same level of comprehensiveness as systematic reviews, they provide valuable insights to inform decision-makers in time-critical situations, offering a balanced approach between timeliness and quality of evidence. As the demand for rapid and relevant evidence continues to grow, the adoption of rapid reviews has become increasingly prevalent in healthcare research and policy domains.
Understanding how to conduct rapid reviews following best practices is essential for ensuring the reliability and relevance of the evidence synthesized. The Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group has been a pioneering force in the development of rigorous rapid review methodologies. They aim to disseminate their guidance and expertise to researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers interested in utilizing evidence-informed rapid review methods. By adhering to these robust practices, stakeholders can efficiently produce evidence that is timely, trustworthy, and aligned with the needs of healthcare decision-making. Embracing this evidence synthesis approach will contribute to more informed and evidence-based decision-making in urgent and time-sensitive healthcare contexts, ultimately improving patient care and health outcomes.
Aim:
To provide an introduction to rapid review methods for interventions of effectiveness following the updated Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Guidance.
Objectives:
To equip participants with the knowledge to conduct efficient and high-quality rapid reviews. Based on updated guidance developed by the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group, participants will learn various strategies to accelerate evidence synthesis, optimize team composition, and tips for present findings in a concise and impactful manner to decision-makers.
Learning outcomes:
Upon completing this course, participants will gain the following skills:
These learning outcomes will help participants develop a comprehensive understanding of rapid reviews and equip them with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to conduct them effectively in the healthcare decision-making context.
Teaching Strategies:
The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations and practical exercises/ breakout group discussions.
Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland
Fee: General €50; Student €25
Skill level: Introductory
Prerequisites: Some experience with systematic reviews
Target Audience:
Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about rapid reviews.
Facilitators
Dr Chantelle Garritty, Co-Convener Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group; Manager, Global Health and Guidelines Division, Public Health Agency of Canada; Adjunct Professor, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa Cochrane Central Executive Team
Dr Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit, Co-Director Cochrane Austria, University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria; Co-Convenor Rapid Reviews Methods Group
Dr Candyce Hamel, Senior Epidemiologist, Canadian Association of Radiologists
Dr Ursula Griebler, Senior research associate at the Department for Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluation, University for Continuing Education Krems, Austria; Associate Convenor Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group
Course content
*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie
more
(Wednesday) 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
ONLINE
To register, click here This webinar will present an overview of the living systematic review of the problems with systematic reviews (www.systematicreviewlution.com) including its aim,
To register, click here
This webinar will present an overview of the living systematic review of the problems with systematic reviews (www.systematicreviewlution.com) including its aim, methods and findings. Evidence syntheses are experiencing a boom in production in the academic literature. But despite the developments within guidelines and extensions to improve methodological and reporting quality, there is much evidence that systematic reviews are being published which fail to live up to their esteemed reputation. The underlying reasons that are likely contributing to the problems identified will be discussed, such as the impact of the evolving research environment and other human influences in research, as well potential solutions and recommendations to help researchers ensure that systematic reviews accurately answer questions that matter to people and society.
Reference : Uttley, L., Quintana, D. S., Montgomery, P., Carroll, C., Page, M. J., Falzon, L., … & Moher, D. (2023). The problems with systematic reviews: a living systematic review. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.
Dr Lesley Uttley is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, working in the field of meta-meta-meta research scrutiny. Following an educational background in Psychology and 10+ years working as a systematic reviewer in the faculty of medicine, Lesley was awarded a fellowship by the UK Medical Research Council in 2019 to investigate the reliability and validity of published systematic reviews- the gold standard in evidence syntheses. This research integrity initiative is a living systematic review which aims to join up and amplify the conversation about systematic review conduct to help people doing and using systematic reviews strive for best practice. Her work uses systematic reviews as the litmus test for the health of the research production ecosystem and the she advocates considering how human influences such as researcher allegiances and other conflicts of interest, as well as research culture, can impact seemingly objective research projects.
more
(Thursday) 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm UTC
ONLINE
Background: This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and
Background:
This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.
Aim:
The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.
We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.
Objective:
The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.
Workshop 1: will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.
Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.
Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse qualitative data and present the findings
Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.
Learning outcomes:
The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:
Teaching strategies:
The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.
Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland
Overall fee: General €120; Student €60
Skill level: Introductory
Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods
Target Audience:
Facilitators
Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick
Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway
*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie
more
(Tuesday) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
ONLINE
april 2024
Date: 12th April 2024 Time: 12:45 – 15:45 Location: Lecture Theatres, Medical & Dental Education & Training (MedEdWest) Altnagelvin Hospital Fee: Free Skill Level: Introductory Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information
Date: 12th April 2024
Time: 12:45 – 15:45
Location: Lecture Theatres, Medical & Dental Education & Training (MedEdWest) Altnagelvin Hospital
Fee: Free
Skill Level: Introductory
Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about systematic reviews and other evidence syntheses
Background:
Health care policy and practice decisions should be based on a synthesis of the global body of evidence rather than relying on individual studies. High quality, relevant systematic reviews and other synthesised research evidence are fundamental to evidence-based healthcare policy and practice.
Aim:
This workshop introduces systematic reviews and describes why they are an important source of evidence. The focus of the workshop will be on outlining the process of designing a systematic review and the steps in conducting a systematic review.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this workshop, participants will:
• Understand what systematic reviews are and why they are important
• Be able to identify the elements of a well-defined question for a systematic review
• Understand the steps of a systematic review
Teaching Strategies:
The workshop will consist of a mixture of short presentations and question and answer sessions.
Facilitators:
Prof. Bronagh Blackwood
Chair in Critical Care and NI lead for Evidence Synthesis Ireland
Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine
Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Jennifer McGaughey
Affiliate to ESI
more
(Friday) 12:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Lecture Theatre, Medical & Dental Education & Training (MedEdWest), Altnagelvin Hospital, Co. Derry
Altnaglevin Hospital, Glenshane Rd, BT47 6SB
This workshop will lead attendees through the complete process of guideline development with GRADE using a concrete example, starting with the selection of a relevant PICO question and ending with
This workshop will lead attendees through the complete process of guideline development with GRADE using a concrete example, starting with the selection of a relevant PICO question and ending with the formulation of a recommendation. The GRADEpro GDT software is used for this purpose. The thematic focus is on assessing the certainty of the underlying evidence as well as the strength of the recommendation. In lectures, we introduce GRADE and explain its use with examples.
Attendees will be enabled to:
Dates: 18th & 19th April
Time: 10:00 – 16:00
Places: 25 available for individuals who are resident in Ireland & Northern Ireland
Location: University of Galway
Prices: General €250; Student €140
Prerequisites: Knowledge in conducting and/or using systematic reviews as well as the basic principles of evidence-based healthcare, and the critical appraisal of research studies, especially RCTs
Skill Level: Introductory
Target Audience: Systematic review authors, guideline developers, health and social care professionals, academics, researchers, postgraduate students, decision makers, Evidence Synthesis Ireland Fellows and other professionals
Facilitators:
Prof. Declan Devane, Director of Evidence Synthesis Ireland & Cochrane Ireland, Professor of Health Research Methodology, University of Galway
Dr K.M. Saif-Ur-Rahman (Senior Methodologist, Evidence Synthesis Ireland)
Philipp Kapp (Researcher, Institute for Evidence in Medicine, University of Freiburg)
more
18 (Thursday) 10:00 am - 19 (Friday) 4:00 pm Irish Standard Time, UTC +1
University of Galway
University Road
To register, click here This webinar will consist of 3 parts: Part 1 – pragmatic reviewing for committee decision making – Evidence is the start of
To register, click here
This webinar will consist of 3 parts:
Part 1 – pragmatic reviewing for committee decision making – Evidence is the start of the conversation,
• key differences between Cochrane systematic reviews and guideline evidence reviews
• prioritising outcomes for decision making
• not a stand-alone review – fits into a series of reviews and HE modelling
Part 2 – Presenting evidence to a decision making committee
• focusing on key committee consideration (as prioritised in the protocol discussion)
• emphasis on summarizing evidence
Part 3 – Linking evidence to recommendations
• understanding where key differences of opinion among the committee members,
• understating difference between evidence and committee experience
• explain the decision in plain English
Sarah Boyce is a Senior Technical Analyst in the guideline development team at NICE working on clinical and public health guidance. This involves working closely with guideline committees to draft recommendations. She has worked on the development of COVID-19 rapid guidelines such as ‘Managing acute COVID-19’ and ‘Managing the long-term effects of COVID-19’. She has also been involved in rapid guideline updates using a living approach to guideline development. This involved balancing the rigour needed in guideline development against the need for rapid guidance in an ever-changing context. Prior to joining NICE, Sarah worked as an evidence reviewer at BMJ for their evidence-based point of care products. Sarah holds an MSc in Molecular Medicine from the University of Essex.
more
(Thursday) 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
ONLINE
Background: This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and
Background:
This series of workshops will provide reviewers, at the beginning of their journey in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) with a comprehensive overview of the methodology and methods including a Cochrane QES reviews. The series will offer insights into the development of a protocol, introducing participants to the methods of question generation, identification of included studies, data extraction and synthesis, the GRADECERQual assessment of confidence in the findings, and presentation the review for dissemination.
Aim:
The purpose of these workshops is to familarise all participants with the steps involved in conducting a Qualitative Evidence Synthesis.
We have designed these workshops as a companion series to allow attendees to apply what they have learned, enabling them to gain practical experience before progressing to the next stage of the process.
Objective:
The objectives of the workshops are intended to provide participants with an understanding of the methods of QES and equip them with the practical skills needed to conduct such a syntheses effectively.
Workshop 1: will provide an Introduction to QES, including overview. We will explore how you can focus your review question and search for qualitative evidence.
Workshop 2: will highlight the methods of screening and inclusion processes including selecting studies. We will demonstrate how data are extracted for a QES and a Quality Assessment is conducted.
Workshop 3: will delve into choosing a method of synthesis, and demonstrate how to synthesisinse qualitative data and present the findings
Workshop 4: we will illustrate the process of conducting an assessment of confidence in the findings of the QES using the GRADECERQual approach, and explore methods of writing up a review for dissemination.
Learning outcomes:
The learning outcomes for participants in this series should support them to:
Teaching strategies:
The workshops will consist of a mixture of short presentations and discussions led by members of the ESI Teaching Faculty, covering each of the methods of a QES. Breakout rooms will be used for small group activities based around worked examples and exercises. These activities will provide participants with the opportunity to discuss and develop their own skills and understanding. Participants will also be provided with a reading list and additional resources.
Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland
Overall fee: General €120; Student €60
Skill level: Introductory
Prerequisites: Knowledge of qualitative research methodologies and methods
Target Audience:
Facilitators
Prof. Pauline Meskell, Head of Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick
Dr Linda Biesty, Associate Professor (Midwifery), University of Galway
*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie
more
(Tuesday) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
ONLINE
Background: As for any healthcare intervention, medical tests require thorough evaluation. Identifying the accuracy of a test is a key step in the evaluation process. Understanding other ways in which tests
Background:
As for any healthcare intervention, medical tests require thorough evaluation. Identifying the accuracy of a test is a key step in the evaluation process. Understanding other ways in which tests affect the clinical management of patients is also important – a new test may be more acceptable to patients, easier to administer, or provide a faster diagnosis or treatment.
The accuracy of a test is a measure of how well it differentiates those with a disease or condition from those who do not. Different, sometimes complex, study designs can be used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. Measures of accuracy are also not fixed properties of a test and may not be transferable across different populations and settings. A systematic review aims to provide an overview of currently available evidence about a test’s diagnostic accuracy. A basic understanding of study designs, potential sources of bias, and factors that might affect the applicability of a study’s findings, are essential to ensure that the included studies answer a relevant review question.
Aim
To provide an introduction to systematic reviews of diagnostic test accuracy.
Objectives:
The objective of this workshop is to provide an understanding of study designs to evaluate the accuracy of a test and the essential components of a systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy.
Learning outcomes
In this course participants will be enabled to:
The workshop does not cover how to conduct a meta-analysis of test accuracy studies.
Date: 29th April 2024
Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 pm
Places: 30 places available for individuals who are resident on the island of Ireland
Fee: General €50; Student €25
Skill level: Introductory
Target Audience: Healthcare professionals, academics, researchers, decision makers, librarians, information specialists, and Evidence Synthesis Ireland fellows and teaching faculty who would like to learn more about DTA reviews
Facilitator
Jac Dinnes, PhD
Senior Research Fellow in Test Evaluation
Test and Prediction group, Institute of Applied Research,
University of Birmingham UK
*If your type of ticket is sold out, please join the waitlist or contact us at esi@universityofgalway.ie
more
(Monday) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm UTC
ONLINE
The innovative ESI Fellowships give Fellows the opportunity to learn about evidence synthesis, with hands-on experience of how to plan, design, conduct and report an evidence synthesis. Fellows are placed virtually with world-class evidence synthesis centres and review teams in Ireland and internationally.
We’re committed to improving how we gather, interpret, and share vast amounts of information, a process known as evidence synthesis. Our approach isn’t just about conducting research; it’s about improving the very methods we use to plan, conduct, and share the results of this process.
We work in many different research areas relevant to evidence synthesis and have a particularly strong focus on rapid reviews, knowledge translation and “studies within a review” (SWARs).
“ Reporting on health care topics can rely too much on asking experts or reporting the results of a single study…what would be much more useful to members of the public, especially when it comes to making decisions about their own health, is for people to understand how to situate health claims in the global body of evidence. “