Evidence-Based Medicine

EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE

Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about patient care. The concept of evidence-based medicine began to emerge in 1980 as physicians first performed systematic reviews of the evidence for preventive services as a step in writing clinical practice guidelines. There are six steps in the provision of evidence-based medicine:(1) decide what information is needed; (2) formulate one's information needs in the form of a question that a research study could answer; (3) search the published literature to find the evidence; (4) decide which studies are valid and applicable to the patient at hand; (5) apply the findings to the patient; and (6) evaluate the outcomes. David Sackett, M.D., has been a leader in formulating the concepts of evidence-based medicine.

HAROLD C. SOX

(SEE ALSO: Personal Health Services; Physical Activity; Primary Care)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sackett, D. L.; Rosenberg, W. M.; Gray, J. A.; Haynes, R. B.; and Richardson, W. S. (1996). "Evidence Based Medicine: What It Is and What It Isn't." British Medical Journal 312(7023):71–72.