What the Evidence Really Says About Cervical Collars with Dr. Jeff Jarvis and Dr. Ben Abo

The hardest part of evidence-based medicine is not finding a paper. It is deciding whether that paper should change what you do on your next shift.First, we talk with Dr. Jeff Jarvis about how to evaluate medical literature beyond the headline, abstract, conclusion, or p-value. You’ll hear about the PICO framework and why patient-oriented outcomes should matter more than the numbers that are easiest to measure.Then, Ross talks with emergency physician Dr. Ben Abo about the evidence surrounding rigid cervical collars. He also shares how his EMS system removed collars from its ambulances by involving trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, emergency clinicians, and frontline providers in the change.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to use population, intervention or exposure, comparison, and outcome to decide whether a study applies to the patients you actually treat

Why return of spontaneous circulation, p-values, and national benchmarks can distract clinicians from the outcomes patients care about most

What the literature suggests about cervical collars, spinal cord perfusion, airway compromise, aspiration risk, intracranial pressure, and pressure injuries

How to bring research to a medical director and change a long-standing protocol

Resources:NAEMSP Trauma Compendium: Prehospital Management of Spinal Cord InjuriesWant more? Sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Confidence Dispatch.Want individualized coaching and mentorship? Check out The Loud & Clear Fellowship.Just have a question and want some personalized help? Book a free coaching call with us.Interested in ABLS Now? Our listeners get 10% off and a chance to win a free subscription. Enter before August 1, 2026.

Guests:Dr. Jeff Jarvis, MD, MS, EMT-PDr. Ben Abo, DO, EMT-PGuest Host: Matt Hedlun, Battalion Chief of Education at Thompson Valley EMS