2004 Sigi Ziering Award for Outstanding Contribution for a Publication in the Journal Clinical Chemistry
Patrick M.M. Bossuyt (born in Mortsel, Belgium) received his training first in psychology at the University of Gent (Belgium), with an emphasis on research methodology and judgment and decision behavior. He studied how uncertainty can be expressed in probability statements, the problems involved, and alternative calculi that had been developed to address these problems. He wrote his PhD thesis on methods for the modeling of structures in choice behavior at the University of Nijmegen (Bossuyt PM. A comparison of probabilistic unfolding theories for paired comparisons data. Heidelberg, New York: Springer Verlag, 1990).
From 1987 to 1991 he was a member of the faculty of the Center for Clinical Decision Making of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. This department supports clinical research projects in the Dijkzigt Academic Hospital, including decision analysis for recurrent patient problems. Because the information for decision analysis was often missing, he became involved in the design and planning of clinical studies.
In June 1991, Prof. Bossuyt moved to the just-founded Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics of the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam. He was appointed Professor of Clinical Epidemiology in 1995 and head of the department in 1997. His scientific work mirrors that of the department, covering a broad range of topics and collaborations with several clinical departments, with a clear focus on evaluation research and medical technology assessment. In clinical research projects, the department offers methodologic support in designing, organizing, conducting, analyzing, and reporting research projects.
Prof. Bossuyt has a special interest in the methodology for evaluating diagnostic tests, an interest shared with several members of the department. He spearheaded the STARD initiative for the improved reporting of diagnostic test accuracy studies. This initiative was inspired by a study in which his group showed that studies of the diagnostic accuracy of tests can lead to biased results when the design is flawed. His Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics also hosts the Dutch Cochrane Center.
Patrick Bossuyt has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He is a member of the Editorial Boards of Medical Decision Making and Health Services and Outcomes Research Methods. He is a member of the coordinating Medial Technology Committee of the Dutch Health Council and a member of several scientific advisory committees in The Netherlands and elsewhere.
Prof. Bossuyt's winning article is entitled:
“Towards Complete and Accurate Reporting of Studies of Diagnostics Accuracy: The STARD Initiative”
Patrick M. Bossuyt*, Johannes B. Reitsma, David E. Bruns, Constantine A. Gatsonis, Paul P. Glasziou, Les M. Irwig, Jeroen G. Lijmer, David Moher, Drummond Rennie, and Henrica C.W. De Vet, for the STARD Group
Clin Chem 2003 49:1 1-6
Prof. Bossuyt's award winning article can be read in its entirety at http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/49/1/1