Changes in local clinical practice following an experiment in medical care: Evaluation of evaluation

Abstract

The changes in clinical practice following a randomised controlled trial of early discharge for inguinal hernia and varicose veins are reviewed. A significant reduction in mean length of stay was recorded in the study area between 1970 (the year before the start of the study) and 1975 (two complete years after the study). This change was not found in two adjacent health districts.