In a prediction rule study, investigators identify a consecutive group of patients who are suspected of having a specific disease or outcome.
They then use statistical methods to identify the best clinical predictors of the patient's true state.
Published methodological standards specify good practices for developing a clinical prediction rule.
[3] A survey of methods concluded "the majority of prediction studies in high impact journals do not follow current methodological recommendations, limiting their reliability and applicability",[4] confirming earlier findings from the diabetic literature.
[9][10] However, when the prediction rule is implemented as part of a critical pathway, so that a hospital or clinic has procedures and policies established for how to manage patients identified as high or low risk of disease, the prediction rule has more impact on clinical outcomes.