What is evidence based medicine?
“Evidence based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.” (Sackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS. Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn't. BMJ. 1996;312(7023):71-2.)
EBM Explained
How is evidence based medicine practiced?
The practice of EBM requires utilization of the five A's:
ASK: Develop a focused, pertinent clinical question
ACQUIRE: Use information technology to access accurate and reliable medical information
APPRAISE: Evaluate the evidence using the appropriate criteria
APPLY: Apply findings to the question asked/to the patient's care
ACT: Communicate findings to the patient and/or team, reflecting on process and outcomes
Recommended Reading
- JAMAevidenceJAMAevidence helps decision makers identify the best available evidence by providing guides to the systematic consideration of the validity, importance, and applicability of claims about the assessment of health problems and the outcomes of health care.
- Evaluating the Evidence: Is There a Rigid Hierarchy?P. Michael Ho, Pamela N. Peterson and Frederick A. Masoudi. Circulation. 2008 Oct 14;118(16):1675-84
- Evidence Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBMStraus, Sharon E., Pattani, Reena, Veroniki, Areti Angeliki, 2019
Also available in print at Matthews-Fuller Health Sciences Library. - Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn'tSackett DL, Rosenberg WM, Gray JA, Haynes RB, Richardson WS. BMJ. 1996 Jan 13;312(7023):71-2. PubMed PMID: 8555924.
- How to Read a Paper: the Basics of Evidence-Based Medicine and HealthcareGreenhalgh, Trisha. 6th edition, 2019.
