Ensuring reliability of outcome measures in multicenter clinical trials of treatments for acute ischemic stroke. The program developed for the Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST).

Abstract

Our experience suggests that a program that includes educational and certification processes can be performed as part of the design of a multicenter clinical trial. The method of providing educational and testing videotapes to each site so that physicians can be trained and certified is an effective, inexpensive, and practical approach for enhancing and certifying the expertise of the large number of physicians involved in a multicenter study.