Evidence reviews
Evidence reviews are summaries of research studies that have examined how well treatments work. Evidence reviews can help you and your patients understand and predict the benefits that can be expected from a particular treatment.
WorkSafe has provided a list of evidence reviews and evidence based practice resources for healthcare providers. Evidence reviews are summaries of research studies that have examined how well treatments work.
The following evidence reviews have been developed by the WorkSafe and the TAC Evidence Service, a service provided by the Institute for Safety Compensation and Recovery Research (ISCRR) based at Monash University.
Evidence reviews must be objective, and not influenced by parties with vested interests. The Evidence Service uses independent reviewers who have full editorial control of the reviews.
WorkSafe uses evidence reviews in its policy development and as a guide in decision making.
Implantable pain therapies
These include intrathecal infusions and neurostimulation.
Intrathecal infusions include:
- Opiates (opioids, narcotics)
- Baclofen
- Ziconotide
Neurostimulation includes:
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Subcutaneous electrical stimulation
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
- Motor cortex stimulation
- Deep brain stimulation
- Neurostimulation - Plain language statement
- Neurostimulation - Executive summary
- Neurostimulation - Full report
Carpal tunnel release in acute injuries
- Carpal Tunnel Release - Plain language statement
- Carpal Tunnel Release - Executive summary
- Carpal Tunnel Release - Full report
Spinal injection therapies
These include epidural injections and other spinal injection therapies, such as medial branch blocks, facet joint injections, and sacro-iliac joint injections.
- Epidural injections - Plain language statement
- Epidural injections - Executive summary
- Epidural injections - Full report
- Other spinal injections - Plain language statement
- Other spinal injections - Executive summary
- Other spinal injections - Full report
Radiofrequency denervation
- Radiofrequency denervation - Plain language statement
- Radiofrequency denervation - Executive summary
- Radiofrequency denervation - Full report
Sedatives (Benzodiazepines) for anxiety
- Sedatives (Benzodiazepines) for anxiety - Plain language statement
- Sedatives (Benzodiazepines) for anxiety - Executive summary
- Sedatives (Benzodiazepines) for anxiety - Full report
Lokomat for Spinal Cord Injury
- Lokomat for Spinal Cord Injury - Plain language statement
- Lokomat for Spinal Cord Injury - Executive summary
- Lokomat for Spinal Cord Injury - Full report
Currently under review
- Implantable pain therapies – neurostimulations
Evidence Based Practice Resources
For an overview of evidence based practice online:
Cochrane Collaboration – The Australasian Cochrane Centre
The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation dedicated to the systematic collection and critical appraisal of all clinical research. The Cochrane Collaboration also contains a database of “Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness”.
Return to Work: Knowledge Base
A free information service for employees, employers, healthcare professionals and insurers that provides concise, evidence-based information about getting injured workers back to work. Worldwide research is translated into plain English, with perspectives for each stakeholder added in an easy to read format:
Physiotherapy Evidence Database (Pedro)
This University of Sydney site systematically collects and quality-rates clinical research that is of specific interest to physiotherapists. It includes an excellent tutorial on how to read clinical trials and a very useful set of links to other evidence-based sites of interest.
Specific health-related journals
To search for a specific article, subject or author, visit:
