SLR - August 2022 - Ricardo Navarrete Jr, DPM
Reference: Ingall EM, Zhao J, Kwon JY. Keeping up With the Foot and Ankle Literature: A Practical “How-To.” Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics. April 2022. doi:10.1177/24730114221095512Level of evidence: Level V
Scientific Literature Review
Reviewed By: Ricardo Navarrete Jr, DPM
Residency Program: Creighton University - Phoenix, AZ
Podiatric Relevance: Advances in foot and ankle medicine and surgery (F&A) are increasing dramatically. This coincides with the increasing volume of literature and the need to stay up to date. As busy physicians, it is challenging to keep informed and maintain a truly evidence-based practice. What is the best way to stay afloat as a busy physician? The authors of this article present a “tiered prioritization strategy and time-appropriate allocation” approach to help solve this dilemma, including time saving strategies applicable to the to the modern digital era.
Methods: The authors illustrate their strategy using a tiered prioritization pyramid scheme, numbered one through four. The authors note that “effort should be focused on the top tier foot and ankle journals, major medical journals as well as topics and researchers of interest should be routinely reviewed for content applicable to our practices”. The authors also provide four tips by using modern digital applications, to help efficiently stay current with literature.
Results: From top to bottom is Tier 1: “General Orthopedic and Nonorthopedic Medical Journals”. They recommend monthly reading. These articles represent knowledge that are applicable to most orthopedic surgeon and thus any foot and ankle surgeon can benefit. High impact medical journals pertinent to the F&A should be reviewed in whole as they lay important findings and topics regarding our specialty. If other orthopedic subspecialties and medical colleagues are informed in F&A literature, we as specialists certainly must be. Tier 2: “F&A Journals”. Recommend reading a ‘top tier’ F&A article monthly. This includes articles with higher level of evidence, such as systematic reviews, and blinded studies. These should be read in entirety and have implications on their clinical practice. Tier 3: “Areas of Interest”. Recommend quarterly reading from their respective interests in F&A literature that are not regularly followed. Tier 4: “Researchers of Interest”. They recommend semiannual reading of a particular author of interest or investigator that have a shared interest. These types of authors can be colleagues, collaborators, or friends. The article then describes a few technological to efficiently find and navigate through articles. News aggregators and really simple syndication (RSS) are ways to help consolidate and allocate journals/articles into one location. This allows the user to filter by key words, frequency of reading and topics. Downloading a text-to-audio application can help by listening to a manuscript while multitasking. Social media provides a source of subscribed feed that authors present literature using infographics. Lastly, podcasts are used my many medical specialties and journals. Podcasts offer you to stay current by listening or watching segments of a topic of your choosing.
Conclusions: To attain an evidence-based practice, constant attention to research is warranted. With the emerging abundance of literature, we need tools to routinely stay up to date in the most effective manner. This article provides insight to do so. The consensus is to stay current with the body of evidence which allows decisions best made for patients and their care.