Clinical decision rules

If you’ve ever been treated in an emergency department anywhere in the world, chances are your health-care provider used a clinical decision rule developed at The Ottawa Hospital to help diagnose you. Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa are world leaders in developing clinical decision rules that streamline diagnosis, reduce wait times and limit unnecessary diagnostic tests. In fact, three of the top five rules recommended for U.S. emergency departments were developed in Ottawa. Clinical decision rules developed in Ottawa are listed below.

Thrombosis (blood clot) rules

The Ottawa Score for the Risk of Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism in Cancer Patients

Wells’ Rule for Deep Vein Thrombosis

Wells’ Rule for Pulmonary Embolism 

HERDOO2 Rule to guide duration of anticoagulation in women with unprovoked venous thromboembolism

Emergency Medicine Rules

Imaging decision rules

Canadian C-Spine Rule

Canadian CT Head Rule

The Ottawa Ankle Rules

The Ottawa Knee Rule

Risk scales

Canadian Syncope Risk Score

Canadian Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Score

Ottawa Chest Pain Cardiac Monitoring Rule

Ottawa COPD Risk Scale

Ottawa Heart Failure Risk Scale

Ottawa Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Rule