VAN DEN BRUEL, ANN

Over the past years, Ann has worked mainly on the diagnosis of serious infections in children. She conducted a large-scale study in primary care to analyse the value of clinical features for this diagnosis. In addition, she looked at how laboratory tests can help with this diagnosis and how parents and doctors view the diagnostic process when a child is admitted to hospital with a serious infection. The results of these studies have been used in several guidelines including one on feverish children by NICE. She has collaborated with colleagues in other studies on diagnostic tests, such as clinical features in patients with chest pain, ultrasound for patients with shoulder problems, new diagnostic technologies for atrial fibrillation, etc. Ann is the Director of the NIHR Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative Oxford which aims to facilitate diagnostic innovations in the NHS. They offer training and advice for anyone who is developing a new diagnostic test for primary care. In addition to research, she is also involved in teaching for the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and other institutions across Europe.