In my health care management career, medical education has advanced from apprenticeships (“see one, do one, teach one”) to differential diagnosis (The process of weighing the probability of one disease versus that of other diseases possibly accounting for a patient’s illness) to … Evidenced Based Medicine
The most common definition of Evidence-Based Practice (EBM) is “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.”
“EBM is the integration of clinical expertise, patient values, and the best research evidence into the decision making process for patient care. Clinical expertise refers to the clinician’s cumulated experience, education and clinical skills. The patient brings to the encounter his or her own personal preferences and unique concerns, expectations, and values. The best research evidence is usually found in clinically relevant research that has been conducted using sound methodology.”
“The evidence, by itself, does not make the decision, but it can help support the patient care process. The full integration of these three components into clinical decisions enhances the opportunity for optimal clinical outcomes and quality of life. The practice of EBM is usually triggered by patient encounters which generate questions about the effects of therapy, the utility of diagnostic tests, the prognosis of diseases, and/or the etiology of disorders.”
In Evidenced Based Medicine the patient is an active participant!
Click here for a great tutorial on Evidenced Based Medicine, developed by staff at Duke University Medical Center Library and the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Welcome to the Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice Tutorial.
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Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H., is Clinical Professor, Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Adjunct Professor, Baruch College ( C.U.N.Y.), Rutgers School of Public Health, and Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration.
This blog shares general information about understanding and navigating the health care system. For specific medical advice about your own problems, issues and options talk to your personal physician.