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Preparing clinical pharmacy scientists for careers in clinical/translational research: can we meet the challenge?: ACCP Research Affairs Committee Commentary.
Parker, Robert B; Ellingrod, Vicki; DiPiro, Joseph T; Bauman, Jerry L; Blouin, Robert A; Welage, Lynda S
Developing clinical pharmacists' research skills and their ability to compete for extramural funding is an important component of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy's (ACCP) vision for pharmacists to play a prominent role in generating the new knowledge used to guide patient pharmacotherapy. Given the recent emphasis on clinical/translational research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the key role of drug therapy in the management of many diseases, there is an unprecedented opportunity for the profession to contribute to this enterprise. A crucial question facing the profession is whether we can generate enough appropriately trained scientists to take advantage of these opportunities to generate the new knowledge to advance drug therapy. Since the 2009 publication of the ACCP Research Affairs Committee editorial recommending the Ph.D. degree (as opposed to fellowship training) as the optimal method for preparing pharmacists as clinical/translational scientists, significant changes have occurred in the economic, professional, political, and research environments. As a result, the 2012 ACCP Research Affairs Committee was charged with reexamining the college's position on training clinical pharmacy scientists in the context of these substantial environmental changes. In this commentary, the potential impact of these changes on opportunities for pharmacists in clinical/translational research are discussed as are strategies for ACCP, colleges of pharmacy, and the profession to increase the number and impact of clinical pharmacy scientists. Failure of our profession to take advantage of these opportunities risks our ability to contribute substantively to the biomedical research enterprise and ultimately improve the pharmacotherapy of our patients. PMID:24114730
Prevention of venous thromboembolism, 2nd edition: Korean Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Bang, Soo-Mee; Jang, Moon Ju; Kim, Kyoung Ha; Yhim, Ho-Young; Kim, Yeo-Kyeoung; Nam, Seung-Hyun; Hwang, Hun Gyu; Bae, Sung Hwa; Kim, Sung-Hyun; Mun, Yeung-Chul; Kim, Yang-Ki; Kim, Inho; Choi, Won-Il; Jung, Chul Won; Park, Nan Hee; Choi, Nam-Kyong; Park, Byung-Joo; Oh, Doyeun; Korean Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis
In 2010, we proposed the first Korean Guidelines for the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE). It was applicable to Korean patients, by modifying the contents of the second edition of the Japanese guidelines for the prevention of VTE and the 8th edition of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. From 2007 to 2011, we conducted a nationwide study regarding the incidence of VTE after major surgery using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) database. In addition, we have considered the 9th edition of the ACCP Evidenced-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines, published in 2012. It emphasized the importance of clinically relevant events as opposed to asymptomatic outcomes with preferences for both thrombotic and bleeding outcomes. Thus, in the development of the new Korean guidelines, three major points were addressed: 1) the new guidelines stratify patients into 4 risk groups (very low, low, moderate, and high) according to the actual incidence of symptomatic VTE from the HIRA databases; 2) the recommended optimal VTE prophylaxis for each group was modified according to condition-specific thrombotic and bleeding risks; 3) guidelines are intended for general information only, are not medical advice, and do not replace professional medical care and/or physician advice. PMID:24550640
Evidence based dental care: integrating clinical expertise with systematic research.
Kishore, Mallika; Panat, Sunil R; Aggarwal, Ashish; Agarwal, Nupur; Upadhyay, Nitin; Alok, Abhijeet
Clinical dentistry is becoming increasingly complex and our patients more knowledgeable. Evidence-based care is now regarded as the "gold standard" in health care delivery worldwide. The basis of evidence based dentistry is the published reports of research projects. They are, brought together and analyzed systematically in meta analysis, the source for evidence based decisions. Activities in the field of evidence-based dentistry has increased tremendously in the 21(st) century, more and more practitioners are joining the train, more education on the subject is being provided to elucidate the knotty areas and there is increasing advocacy for the emergence of the field into a specialty discipline. Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD), if endorsed by the dental profession, including the research community, may well- influence the extent to which society values dental research. Hence, dental researchers should understand the precepts of EBD, and should also recognize the challenges it presents to the research community to strengthen the available evidence and improve the processes of summarizing the evidence and translating it into practice This paper examines the concept of evidence-based dentistry (EBD), including some of the barriers and will discuss about clinical practice guidelines. PMID:24701551
Evidence-Based Clinical Voice Assessment: A Systematic Review
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Roy, Nelson; Barkmeier-Kraemer, Julie; Eadie, Tanya; Sivasankar, M. Preeti; Mehta, Daryush; Paul, Diane; Hillman, Robert
Purpose: To determine what research evidence exists to support the use of voice measures in the clinical assessment of patients with voice disorders. Method: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders staff searched 29 databases for peer-reviewed English-language…
Evidence-based integrative medicine in clinical veterinary oncology.
Raditic, Donna M; Bartges, Joseph W
Integrative medicine is the combined use of complementary and alternative medicine with conventional or traditional Western medicine systems. The demand for integrative veterinary medicine is growing, but evidence-based research on its efficacy is limited. In veterinary clinical oncology, such research could be translated to human medicine, because veterinary patients with spontaneous tumors are valuable translational models for human cancers. An overview of specific herbs, botanics, dietary supplements, and acupuncture evaluated in dogs, in vitro canine cells, and other relevant species both in vivo and in vitro is presented for their potential use as integrative therapies in veterinary clinical oncology. PMID:25174902
Evidence-based clinical practice for the neurointerventionalist.
Hirsch, Joshua A; Turk, Aquilla S; Mocco, J; Fiorella, David J; Jayaraman, Mahesh V; Meyers, Phillip M; Yoo, Albert J; Manchikanti, Laxmaiah
The field of neurointerventional (NI) surgery has developed in the context of technologic innovation. Many treatments readily provided in 2014 would have been hard to imagine as recently as 10 years ago. The reality of present day NI care is that, while providers, payors, policy makers and patients rely on evidence to guide NI decision-making, the available data are often less robust than participants might desire. In this paper we will explore the fundamentals of evidence-based clinical practice. PMID:24578482
Evidence-Based Practice for Outpatient Clinical Teams
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hamilton, John D.
This column focuses on evidence-based practice (EBP) within multidisciplinary outpatient settings, but first provides some definitions. Besides EBP (Burns and Hoagwood, 2005; Guyatt and Rennie, 2002), there are also evidence-based medicine (EBM; March et al., 2005), evidence-based service (EBS; Chorpita et al., 2002), and evidence-based treatment…
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for liver cirrhosis 2015.
Fukui, Hiroshi; Saito, Hidetsugu; Ueno, Yoshiyuki; Uto, Hirofumi; Obara, Katsutoshi; Sakaida, Isao; Shibuya, Akitaka; Seike, Masataka; Nagoshi, Sumiko; Segawa, Makoto; Tsubouchi, Hirohito; Moriwaki, Hisataka; Kato, Akinobu; Hashimoto, Etsuko; Michitaka, Kojiro; Murawaki, Toshikazu; Sugano, Kentaro; Watanabe, Mamoru; Shimosegawa, Tooru
The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology revised the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for liver cirrhosis in 2015. Eighty-three clinical questions were selected, and a literature search was performed for the clinical questions with use of the MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases for the period between 1983 and June 2012. Manual searching of the latest important literature was added until August 2015. The guidelines were developed with use of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. This digest version in English introduces selected clinical questions and statements related to the management of liver cirrhosis and its complications. Branched-chain amino acids relieve hypoalbuminemia and hepatic encephalopathy and improve quality of life. Nucleoside analogues and peginterferon plus ribavirin combination therapy improve the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus related liver cirrhosis and hepatitis C related compensated liver cirrhosis, respectively, although the latter therapy may be replaced by direct-acting antivirals. For liver cirrhosis caused by primary biliary cirrhosis and active autoimmune hepatitis, urosodeoxycholic acid and steroid are recommended, respectively. The most adequate modalities for the management of variceal bleeding are the endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for esophageal varices and the balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration following endoscopic obturation with cyanoacrylate for gastric varices. Beta-blockers are useful for primary prophylaxis of esophageal variceal bleeding. The V2 receptor antagonist tolvaptan is a useful add-on therapy in careful diuretic therapy for ascites. Albumin infusion is useful for the prevention of paracentesis-induced circulatory disturbance and renal failure. In addition to disaccharides, the nonabsorbable antibiotic rifaximin is useful for the management of encephalopathy. Anticoagulation therapy is proposed for
Exploring the methodology and application of clinical pathway in evidence-based Chinese medicine.
Wang, Sicheng; Yu, He; Liu, Jianping; Liu, Baoyan
At present, clinical pathway has become one of the most important health care reform measures in many countries. In this study, the authors introduced basic concepts and explored the application of the clinical pathway of evidence-based Chinese medicine incorporated with the methodology from the concepts of management, evidence-based medicine, operational research and health economics. Such concepts provide examples and experiences, on which the application of clinical pathway in Chinese medicine practice in China can be based. PMID:21695620
Clinical intuition versus statistics: different modes of tacit knowledge in clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine.
Braude, Hillel D
Despite its phenomenal success since its inception in the early nineteen-nineties, the evidence-based medicine movement has not succeeded in shaking off an epistemological critique derived from the experiential or tacit dimensions of clinical reasoning about particular individuals. This critique claims that the evidence-based medicine model does not take account of tacit knowing as developed by the philosopher Michael Polanyi. However, the epistemology of evidence-based medicine is premised on the elimination of the tacit dimension from clinical judgment. This is demonstrated through analyzing the dichotomy between clinical and statistical intuition in evidence-based medicine's epistemology of clinical reasoning. I argue that clinical epidemiology presents a more nuanced epistemological model for the application of statistical epidemiology to the clinical context. Polanyi's theory of tacit knowing is compatible with the model of clinical reasoning associated with clinical epidemiology, but not evidence-based medicine. PMID:19548116
[The historical background and present development of evidence-based healthcare and clinical nursing].
Tsai, Jung-Mei
Evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) emphasizes the integration of the best research evidence with patient values, specialist suggestions, and clinical circumstances during the process of clinical decision-making. EBHC is a recognized core competency in modern healthcare. Nursing is a professional discipline of empirical science that thrives in an environment marked by advances in knowledge and technology in medicine as well as in nursing. Clinical nurses must elevate their skills and professional qualifications, provide efficient and quality health services, and promote their proficiency in EBHC. The Institute of Medicine in the United States indicates that evidence-based research results often fail to disseminate efficiently to clinical decision makers. This problem highlights the importance of better promoting the evidence-based healthcare fundamentals and competencies to frontline clinical nurses. This article describes the historical background and present development of evidence-based healthcare from the perspective of modern clinical nursing in light of the importance of evidence-based healthcare in clinical nursing; describes the factors associated with evidence-based healthcare promotion; and suggests strategies and policies that may improve the promotion and application of EBHC in clinical settings. The authors hope that this paper provides a reference for efforts to improve clinical nursing in the realms of EBHC training, promotion, and application. PMID:25464952
Clinical use of Skype: a review of the evidence base.
Armfield, Nigel R; Gray, Leonard C; Smith, Anthony C
Skype is a popular and free software application that allows PCs and mobile devices to be used for video communication over the Internet. We reviewed the literature to determine whether the clinical use of Skype is supported by evidence. One small (n = 7) controlled clinical trial had assessed the effect of nursing communication using Skype on elderly patients with dementia and their carers. However, we were unable to identify any large, well-designed studies which had formally evaluated the safety, clinical effectiveness, security and privacy of Skype for the routine delivery of patient care. While there were many case reports and small studies, no firm evidence either in favour of, or against the use of Skype for clinical telehealth was found. The risks and benefits of using Skype for clinical purposes are not known. PMID:22362829
Evidence based practice in clinical physiotherapy education: a qualitative interpretive description
Background Health care undergraduate students are expected to practice evidence-based after they graduate. Previous research indicates that students face several problems with transferring evidence-based practice to real patient situations. Few studies have explored reasons for this. The aim of this study was to explore beliefs, experiences and attitudes related to third year students' use of evidence-based practice in clinical physiotherapy education among students, clinical instructors and visiting teachers. Methods In total, six focus group interviews were conducted: three with 16 students, two with nine clinical instructors and one with four visiting teachers. In addition, one individual interview and one interview in a pair were conducted with clinical instructors. Interviewing three different participant-categories ensured comparative analysis and enabled us to exploit differences in perspectives and interactions. Interpretive description guided this process. Results Four integrative themes emerged from the analysis: "attempt to apply evidence-based practice", "novices in clinical practice", "prioritize practice experience over evidence-based practice" and "lack role models in evidence-based practice". Students tried to search for research evidence and to apply this knowledge during clinical placements; a behaviour that indicated a positive attitude towards evidence-based practice. At the same time, students were novices and required basic background information more than research information. As novices they tended to lean on their clinical instructors, and were more eager to gain practical experience than practicing evidence-based; a behaviour that clinical instructors and visiting teachers often supported. Students noticed a lack of an EBP culture. Both students and clinical instructors perceived a need for role models in evidence-based practice. Conclusions Clinical instructors are in a position to influence students during clinical
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for chronic pancreatitis 2015.
Ito, Tetsuhide; Ishiguro, Hiroshi; Ohara, Hirotaka; Kamisawa, Terumi; Sakagami, Junichi; Sata, Naohiro; Takeyama, Yoshifumi; Hirota, Morihisa; Miyakawa, Hiroyuki; Igarashi, Hisato; Lee, Lingaku; Fujiyama, Takashi; Hijioka, Masayuki; Ueda, Keijiro; Tachibana, Yuichi; Sogame, Yoshio; Yasuda, Hiroaki; Kato, Ryusuke; Kataoka, Keisho; Shiratori, Keiko; Sugiyama, Masanori; Okazaki, Kazuichi; Kawa, Shigeyuki; Tando, Yusuke; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu; Watanabe, Mamoru; Shimosegawa, Tooru
Chronic pancreatitis is considered to be an irreversible progressive chronic inflammatory disease. The etiology and pathology of chronic pancreatitis are complex; therefore, it is important to correctly understand the stage and pathology and provide appropriate treatment accordingly. The newly revised Clinical Practice Guidelines of Chronic Pancreatitis 2015 consist of four chapters, i.e., diagnosis, staging, treatment, and prognosis, and includes a total of 65 clinical questions. These guidelines have aimed at providing certain directions and clinically practical contents for the management of chronic pancreatitis, preferentially adopting clinically useful articles. These revised guidelines also refer to early chronic pancreatitis based on the Criteria for the Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis 2009. They include such items as health insurance coverage of high-titer lipase preparations and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, new antidiabetic drugs, and the definition of and treatment approach to pancreatic pseudocyst. The accuracy of these guidelines has been improved by examining and adopting new evidence obtained after the publication of the first edition. PMID:26725837
Spirulina in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Human Applications
Karkos, P. D.; Leong, S. C.; Karkos, C. D.; Sivaji, N.; Assimakopoulos, D. A.
Spirulina or Arthrospira is a blue-green alga that became famous after it was successfully used by NASA as a dietary supplement for astronauts on space missions. It has the ability to modulate immune functions and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the release of histamine by mast cells. Multiple studies investigating the efficacy and the potential clinical applications of Spirulina in treating several diseases have been performed and a few randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews suggest that this alga may improve several symptoms and may even have an anticancer, antiviral and antiallergic effects. Current and potential clinical applications, issues of safety, indications, side-effects and levels of evidence are addressed in this review. Areas of ongoing and future research are also discussed. PMID:18955364
Evidence-based Clinical Management of Acute Malignant Colorectal Obstruction.
Shimura, Takaya; Joh, Takashi
Acute malignant colorectal obstruction (AMCO) is an emergency associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Emergency surgery is standard therapy for AMCO, and 1-stage surgery without colostomy is preferable, but it is occasionally difficult in the emergency setting. A self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) enables noninvasive colonic decompression and subsequent 1-stage surgery, which has been widely applied for CRC with AMCO. However, recent accumulation of high-quality evidence has highlighted some problems and the limited efficacy of SEMS for AMCO. In palliative settings, SEMS placement reduces hospital stay and short-term complication rates, whereas it increases the frequency of long-term complications, such as delayed perforation. SEMS placement does not seem compatible with recent standard chemotherapy including bevacizumab. As a bridge to surgery, while SEMS placement provides a lower clinical success rate than emergency surgery, it can facilitate primary anastomosis without stoma. However, evidence regarding long-term survival outcomes with SEMS in both palliative and bridge to surgery settings is lacking. The efficacy of transanal colorectal tube placement, another endoscopic treatment, has been reported, but its clinical evidence level is low due to the limited number of studies. This review article comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge about surgical and endoscopic management of CRC with AMCO. PMID:26796083
Arbor Clinical Nutrition Updates: evidence-based clinical nutrition education using the Internet.
Helman, A D
The Arbor Clinical Nutrition Updates (ACNU) is a weekly electronic nutrition journal for health professionals. Each issue summarises several recent clinical research papers appearing in the general medical and nutrition literature and which deal with a common nutrition topic. A commentary is added on how this research fits in with previous work, and what it all means for the practising clinician. ACNU is the world's most widely read electronic nutrition publication, with over 100,000 largely health-professional readers in 186 countries. It is published in nine languages and distributed by email without charge in both plain text and Acrobat formats. ACNU utilises a number of the Internet's unique characteristics to facilitate broad reach, currency and active reader feedback. This, together with its brevity and summarising format, helps to maintain its relevance to the nutrition education needs of health professionals, particularly those in clinical practice, and to overcome the factors most commonly reported by health professionals as obstacles to their greater adoption of evidence-based medicine. ACNU is intended to be a collaboration with the primary research journals to extend the reach of new nutrition research findings to a wider community of researchers, academics and clinicians than each journal might otherwise reach individually. As such, ACNU utilises the Internet to promote the goals of open-access publishing and evidence-based medicine. PMID:16052179
Evidence-based clinical use of insulin premixtures.
Tambascia, Marcos Antônio; Nery, Márcia; Gross, Jorge Luiz; Ermetice, Mariana Narbot; de Oliveira, Carolina Piras
Brazil is expected to have 19.6 million patients with diabetes by the year 2030. A key concept in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is establishing individualized glycemic goals based on each patient's clinical characteristics, which impact the choice of antihyperglycemic therapy. Targets for glycemic control, including fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and glycated hemoglobin (A1C), are often not reached solely with antihyperglycemic therapy, and insulin therapy is often required. Basal insulin is considered an initial strategy; however, premixed insulins are convenient and are equally or more effective, especially for patients who require both basal and prandial control but desire a more simplified strategy involving fewer daily injections than a basal-bolus regimen. Most physicians are reluctant to transition patients to insulin treatment due to inappropriate assumptions and insufficient information. We conducted a nonsystematic review in PubMed and identified the most relevant and recently published articles that compared the use of premixed insulin versus basal insulin analogues used alone or in combination with rapid-acting insulin analogues before meals in patients with T2DM. These studies suggest that premixed insulin analogues are equally or more effective in reducing A1C compared to basal insulin analogues alone in spite of the small increase in the risk of nonsevere hypoglycemic events and nonclinically significant weight gain. Premixed insulin analogues can be used in insulin-naïve patients, in patients already on basal insulin therapy, and those using basal-bolus therapy who are noncompliant with blood glucose self-monitoring and titration of multiple insulin doses. We additionally provide practical aspects related to titration for the specific premixed insulin analogue formulations commercially available in Brazil. PMID:24011173
Integrating evidence-based practice into RN-to-BSN clinical nursing education.
Oh, Eui Geum; Kim, Sunah; Kim, So Sun; Kim, Sue; Cho, Eun Yong; Yoo, Ji-Soo; Kim, Hee Soon; Lee, Ju Hee; You, Mi Ae; Lee, Hyejung
This study examines the effects of integrating evidence-based practice (EBP) into clinical practicum on EBP efficacy and barriers to research utilization among Korean RN-to-BSN students. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Eighty-one students were recruited from a school of nursing in Korea. Evidence-based practice clinical practicum was composed of two consecutive programs during one semester. Lectures, individual mentoring on EBP practicum, small group, and wrap-up conferences were provided. Outcomes of EBP efficacy and barriers to research utilization were analyzed using paired t tests for 74 final participants. Evidence-based practice efficacy scores increased significantly (p < 0.05), and the barriers to research utilization scores decreased significantly after the EBP clinical practicum. The results highlight the effectiveness of EBP education among RN-to-BSN students. These results may help health educators develop effective educational strategies to integrate EBP concepts into a clinical practicum. PMID:20411864
Clinical and Research Perspectives on Nonspeech Oral Motor Treatments and Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Muttiah, Nimisha; Georges, Katie; Brackenbury, Tim
Purpose: Evidence-based practice (EBP) involves the incorporation of research evidence, clinical expertise, and client values in clinical decision making. One case in which these factors conflict is the use of nonspeech oral motor treatments (NSOMTs) for children with developmental speech sound disorders. Critical reviews of the research evidence…
Description of a Standardized Treatment Center That Utilizes Evidence-Based Clinic Operations to Facilitate Implementation of an Evidence-Based Treatment
Donohue, Brad; Allen, Daniel N.; Romero, Valerie; Hill, Heather H.; Vasaeli, Kathryn; Lapota, Holly; Tracy, Kendra; Gorney, Suzanne; Abdel-al, Ruweida; Caldas, Diana; Herdzik, Karen; Bradshaw, Kelsey; Valdez, Robby; Van Hasselt, Vincent B.
Developers of evidence-based therapies are enhancing methods of teaching therapists to implement "best practices" with integrity. However, there is a relative dearth of information available as to clinic operations and related contextual factors necessary to sustain successful implementation of these treatments. This article describes various evidence-based administrative strategies and methods utilized by clinic staff to effectively implement a comprehensive evidence-based treatment for substance abuse (i.e., Family Behavior Therapy). The basic structure of the clinic, standardized behavioral methods associated with its day-to-day operations, and maintenance of treatment integrity are delineated. Infrastructural systems are underscored, including clinical record keeping, quality assurance, and staff management. PMID:19535671
[Explanation of Evidence-based Guidelines of Clinical Practice with Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Adult Bronchial Asthma].
Jiao, Yue; Wu, Zhongchao; Zhou, Wenna; Si, Xiaohua; Wang, Jingjing; Zhou, Jincao; Chen, Zhongjie; Li, Rongjun; Zhao, Xiaoguang; Xiao, Liwei
The development and compilation of Evidence-based Guidelines of Clinical Practice with Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Adult Bronchial Asthma are introduced from three aspects, named the guideline methodology, the guideline structure and the guideline content. Based on the acupuncture-moxibustion practice and clinical research, the evidence-based medicine method is adopted. During the development and compilation of the guideline, the characteristics and advantages of acupuncture and moxibustion are specially considered in the treatment of this disease; the latest optimum evidences at home and abroad, experts' experience and patients' value are closely integrated with each other. Additionally, the worldwide accepted assessments of evidence quality and the recommendation (GRADE system) are combined with the clinical evidences of the ancient and modern famous acupuncture-moxibustion experts, and the clinical research evidences are with the experts' consensus to the large extent. The purpose of the guideline is to provide the maximal guidance to the clinical physicians. PMID:27509620
Evidence-Based Practice for Children with Speech Sound Disorders: Part 2 Application to Clinical Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Baker, Elise; McLeod, Sharynne
Purpose: This article provides both a tutorial and a clinical example of how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can conduct evidence-based practice (EBP) when working with children with speech sound disorders (SSDs). It is a companion paper to the narrative review of 134 intervention studies for children who have an SSD (Baker & McLeod, 2011).…
An Evidence-Based Practice Model across the Academic and Clinical Settings
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wolter, Julie A.; Corbin-Lewis, Kim; Self, Trisha; Elsweiler, Anne
This tutorial is designed to provide academic communication sciences and disorders (CSD) programs, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with a comprehensive instructional model on evidence-based practice (EBP). The model was designed to help students view EBP as an ongoing process needed in all clinical decision making. The three facets…
Integrating Evidence-Based Tobacco Cessation Interventions in Free Medical Clinics: Opportunities and Challenges
Foley, Kristie L.; Pockey, Jessica R.; Helme, Donald W.; Song, Eun-Young; Stewart, Kate; Jones, Cindy; Spangler, John G.; Sutfin, Erin L.
Background Free medical clinics serve a critical role in health care delivery of America's uninsured population, who are less likely to receive tobacco cessation counseling and 1½ times more likely than the general population to use tobacco. The authors evaluate the opportunities for and challenges to implementing the U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines for tobacco cessation in free clinics. Methods Six free clinics participated in this pilot study. Five objectives were targeted: implementation of a tobacco user identification system, education of all clinic staff and volunteers, dedication of a program champion, use of evidence-based treatment, and creation of a supportive environment that reinforces provider behavior. Key informant interviews and focus group data were used to describe the opportunities and barriers of implementing the Public Health Service Guidelines. Results All clinics adopted a user identification system, dedicated a program champion, adopted evidence-based counseling, and created an environment conducive for cessation. Common challenges included getting volunteers to attend on-site training programs, accessing nicotine replacement therapy, and promoting Quit Line usage, all of which are part of evidence-based treatment. Conclusion With more than 1,200 free clinics nationwide, it is very important to understand the opportunities and barriers of implementing tobacco cessation services and systems in free clinics. PMID:22467664
Evaluating research for clinical significance: using critically appraised topics to enhance evidence-based neuropsychology.
Bowden, Stephen C; Harrison, Elise J; Loring, David W
Meehl's (1973, Psychodiagnosis: Selected papers. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press) distinction between statistical and clinical significance holds special relevance for evidence-based neuropsychological practice. Meehl argued that despite attaining statistical significance, many published findings have limited practical value since they do not inform clinical care. In the context of an ever expanding clinical research literature, accessible methods to evaluate clinical impact are needed. The method of Critically Appraised Topics (Straus, Richardson, Glasziou, & Haynes, 2011, Evidence-based medicine: How to practice and teach EBM (4th ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill-Livingstone) was developed to provide clinicians with a "toolkit" to facilitate implementation of evidence-based practice. We illustrate the Critically Appraised Topics method using a dementia screening example. We argue that the skills practiced through critical appraisal provide clinicians with methods to: (1) evaluate the clinical relevance of new or unfamiliar research findings with a focus on patient benefit, (2) help focus of research quality, and (3) incorporate evaluation of clinical impact into educational and professional development activities. PMID:23463942
Description of a Standardized Treatment Center that Utilizes Evidence-Based Clinic Operations to Facilitate Implementation of an Evidence-Based Treatment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Donohue, Brad; Allen, Daniel N.; Romero, Valerie; Hill, Heather H.; Vasaeli, Kathryn; Lapota, Holly; Tracy, Kendra; Gorney, Suzanne; Abdel-al, Ruweida; Caldas, Diana; Herdzik, Karen; Bradshaw, Kelsey; Valdez, Robby; Van Hasselt, Vincent B.
Developers of evidence-based therapies are enhancing methods of teaching therapists to implement "best practices" with integrity. However, there is a relative dearth of information available as to clinic operations and related contextual factors necessary to sustain successful implementation of these treatments. This article describes various…
Legislating Clinical Practice: Counselor Responses to an Evidence-Based Practice Mandate
Rieckmann, Traci; Bergmann, Luke; Rasplica, Caitlin
The demand to connect research findings with clinical practice for patients with substance use disorders has accelerated state and federal efforts focused on implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). One unique state driven strategy is Oregon's Evidence-Based Practice mandate, which ties state funds to specific treatment practices. Clinicians play an essential role in implementation of shifts in practice patterns and use of EBPs, but little is understood about how legislative efforts impact clinicians' sentiments and decision-making. This study presents longitudinal data from focus groups and interviews completed during the planning phase (n = 66) and early implementation of the mandate (n = 73) to investigate provider attitudes toward this policy change. Results reflect three emergent themes: (1) concern about retaining individualized treatment and clinical latitude, (2) distrust of government involvement in clinical care, and (3) the need for accountability and credibility for the field. We conclude with recommendations for state agencies considering EBP mandates. PMID:22185037
Legislating clinical practice: counselor responses to an evidence-based practice mandate.
Rieckmann, Traci; Bergmann, Luke; Rasplica, Caitlin
The demand to connect research findings with clinical practice for patients with substance use disorders has accelerated state and federal efforts focused on implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs). One unique state driven strategy is Oregon's Evidence-Based Practice mandate, which ties state funds to specific treatment practices. Clinicians play an essential role in implementation of shifts in practice patterns and use of EBPs, but little is understood about how legislative efforts impact clinicians' sentiments and decision-making. This study presents longitudinal data from focus groups and interviews completed during the planning phase (n = 66) and early implementation of the mandate (n = 73) to investigate provider attitudes toward this policy change. Results reflect three emergent themes: (1) concern about retaining individualized treatment and clinical latitude, (2) distrust of government involvement in clinical care, and (3) the need for accountability and credibility for the field. We conclude with recommendations for state agencies considering EBP mandates. PMID:22185037
Improving the Evidence Base for Treating Older Adults With Cancer: American Society of Clinical Oncology Statement.
Hurria, Arti; Levit, Laura A; Dale, William; Mohile, Supriya G; Muss, Hyman B; Fehrenbacher, Louis; Magnuson, Allison; Lichtman, Stuart M; Bruinooge, Suanna S; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Tew, William P; Postow, Michael A; Cohen, Harvey J
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) convened a subcommittee to develop recommendations on improving the evidence base for treating older adults with cancer in response to a critical need identified by the Institute of Medicine. Older adults experience the majority of cancer diagnoses and deaths and make up the majority of cancer survivors. Older adults are also the fastest growing segment of the US population. However, the evidence base for treating this population is sparse, because older adults are underrepresented in clinical trials, and trials designed specifically for older adults are rare. The result is that clinicians have less evidence on how to treat older adults, who represent the majority of patients with cancer. Clinicians and patients are forced to extrapolate from trials conducted in younger, healthier populations when developing treatment plans. This has created a dearth of knowledge regarding the risk of toxicity in the average older patient and about key end points of importance to older adults. ASCO makes five recommendations to improve evidence generation in this population: (1) Use clinical trials to improve the evidence base for treating older adults with cancer, (2) leverage research designs and infrastructure for generating evidence on older adults with cancer, (3) increase US Food and Drug Administration authority to incentivize and require research involving older adults with cancer, (4) increase clinicians' recruitment of older adults with cancer to clinical trials, and (5) use journal policies to improve researchers' reporting on the age distribution and health risk profiles of research participants. PMID:26195697
Evidence-based early clinical detection of emerging diseases in food animals and zoonoses: two cases.
Saegerman, Claude; Humblet, Marie-France; Porter, Sarah Rebecca; Zanella, Gina; Martinelle, Ludovic
If diseases of food-producing animals or zoonoses (re-)emerge, early clinical decision making is of major importance. In this particular condition, it is difficult to apply a classic evidence-based veterinary medicine process, because of a lack of available published data. A method based on the partition of field clinical observations (evidences) could be developed as an interesting alternative approach. The classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to improve the early clinical detection in two cases of emerging diseases: bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) and bluetongue due to the serotype 8-virus in cattle. PMID:22374122
Using evidence-based practice for managing clinical outcomes in advanced practice nursing.
Glanville, I; Schirm, V; Wineman, N M
Preparation of advanced practice nurses to assume leadership positions for clinical decision making requires that traditional ways of solving clinical problems be augmented with information from relevant, research-derived evidence. In this article, the authors describe how one graduate program prepares advanced practice nurses to use the best scientific evidence with clinical expertise to influence patient outcomes. The assignments that students complete in their program provide examples of evidence-based practice that apply quality improvement principles and science-based nursing interventions to create best practices. PMID:11008434
Evaluation of VTE Prophylaxis in an Educational Hospital: Comparison Between the Institutional Guideline (Caprini 2006) and the ACCP Guideline (Ninth Edition).
Gharaibeh, Lubna; Albsoul-Younes, Abla; Younes, Nidal
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the most common preventable cause of hospital death; the burden of VTE includes the management of the acute event (deep vein thrombosis [DVT]/pulmonary embolism) and the chronic subsequents such as postthrombotic syndrome and recurrent DVT. All experts agree that despite the abundance of knowledge available on VTE and how to prevent it, it is still underused, and since the first step in prophylaxis is to identify those who are at high risk of VTE, several risk assessment models have been developed to identify these patients and provide appropriate prophylaxis. In our study, the institutional guideline in a tertiary educational hospital is the Caprini score (2006), a comparison was conducted between the institutional guideline and the American College of Chest Physicians guideline (ACCP ninth edition [ACCP-9]) in terms of the degree of agreement of the actual prophylaxis with the institutional guideline and the ACCP-9 and the differences in risk levels. The concordance with the ACCP-9 guideline was higher than with the institutional guideline, specifically in those patients receiving prophylaxis, and there was an overestimation of the risk levels in the institutional guideline, especially in medical patients. The replacement of the existing Caprini-2006 with the ACCP-9 is prudent, since it agrees with the physicians' clinical judgment and may result in reduced use of pharmacologic prophylaxis which could lead to lower costs and fewer adverse effects. PMID:25753966
Using Mobile Technologies to Access Evidence-Based Resources: A Rural Health Clinic Experience.
Carter-Templeton, Heather D; Wu, Lin
This study describes the feasibility and usability of a mobile device and selected electronic evidence-based information programs used to support clinical decision making in a rural health clinic. The study focused on nurses' perceptions on when they needed more information, where they sought information, what made them feel comfortable about the information they found, and rules and guidelines they used to determine if the information should be used in patient care. ATLAS.ti, the qualitative analysis software, was used to assist with qualitative data analysis and management. PMID:26333613
OrthoEvidence™: A Clinical Resource for Evidence-Based Orthopedics
Sprague, Sheila; Smith, Chris; Bhandari, Mohit
The prevalence of musculoskeletal issues in clinical practice, and the limited focus placed upon musculoskeletal conditions by current electronic summary resources, highlights the need for a resource that provides access to simple and concise summaries of top-quality orthopedic literature for orthopedic surgeons and allied healthcare professionals. OrthoEvidence™ is an online clinical resource that addresses the paucity of adequate evidence-based summary tools in the field of orthopedic surgery. OrthoEvidence™ uses a rigorous, transparent, and unique process to review, evaluate, and summarize high quality research studies and their implications for orthopedic clinical practice. Randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses are identified and reviewed by an expert medical writing team, who prepare Advanced Clinical Evidence (ACETM) reports: one or two detailed pages including critical appraisals and synopses of key research. These timely and targeted reports provide a clear understanding about the quality of evidence associated with each summarized study, and can be organized by users to identify trending information. OrthoEvidence™ allows members to use their time efficiently and to stay current by having access to a breadth of timely, high-quality research output. OrthoEvidence™ is easily accessible through the internet and is available at the point-of-care, which allows treating orthopedic surgeons and allied health professionals to easily practice the principles of evidence-based medicine within their clinical practices.. PMID:26330990
Tips for teaching evidence-based medicine in a clinical setting: lessons from adult learning theory. Part two
Malick, Sadia; Das, Kausik; Khan, Khalid S
Summary Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the clinical use of current best available evidence from relevant, valid research. Provision of evidence-based healthcare is the most ethical way to practise as it integrates up-to-date patient-oriented research into the clinical decision-making to improve patients' outcomes. This article provides tips for teachers to teach clinical trainees the final two steps of EBM: integrating evidence with clinical judgement and bringing about change. PMID:19029354
Using the core curriculum on childhood trauma to strengthen clinical knowledge in evidence-based practitioners.
Layne, Christopher M; Strand, Virginia; Popescu, Marciana; Kaplow, Julie B; Abramovitz, Robert; Stuber, Margaret; Amaya-Jackson, Lisa; Ross, Leslie; Pynoos, Robert S
The high prevalence of trauma exposure in mental health service-seeking populations, combined with advances in evidence-based practice, competency-based training, common-elements research, and adult learning make this an opportune time to train the mental health workforce in trauma competencies. The Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma (CCCT) utilizes a five-tiered conceptual framework (comprising Empirical Evidence, Core Trauma Concepts, Intervention Objectives, Practice Elements, and Skills), coupled with problem-based learning, to build foundational trauma knowledge and clinical reasoning skills. We present findings from three studies: Study 1 found that social work graduate students' participation in a CCCT course (N = 1,031) was linked to significant pre-post increases in self-reported confidence in applying core trauma concepts to their clinical work. Study 2 found significant pre-post increases in self-reported conceptual readiness (N = 576) and field readiness (N = 303) among social work graduate students participating in a "Gold Standard Plus" educational model that integrated classroom instruction in core trauma concepts, training in evidence-based trauma treatment (EBTT), and implementation of that EBTT in a supervised field placement. Students ranked the core concepts course as an equivalent or greater contributor to field readiness compared to standard EBTT training. Study 3 used qualitative methods to "distill" common elements (35 intervention objectives, 59 practice elements) from 26 manualized trauma interventions. The CCCT is a promising tool for educating "next-generation" evidence-based practitioners who possess competencies needed to implement modularized, individually tailored trauma interventions by strengthening clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and familiarity with common elements. PMID:24484506
[The Usage of Auricular Acupressure in Clinical Nursing and Evidence-Based Research].
Cheng, Jui-Fen; Lo, Chyi; Tzeng, Ya-Ling
Auricular acupressure is a non-invasive physiotherapy that was developed based on the traditional Chinese meridian theory. Because it is non-invasive, simple to implement, and easy to learn, and because it presents minimal side effects and may be executed independently, this therapy may be used as an alternative or auxiliary approach to symptom management as well as to self-care. The increasing support for auricular acupressure from evidence-based research in Taiwan and elsewhere offers the opportunity to include auricular acupressure as a treatment option in evidence-based nursing interventions. Because nursing education in Taiwan is guided by Western medical concepts and principles, most nurses are not familiar with auricular acupressure, which is derived from traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, this article not only systemically introduces the definition and theoretical basis of auricular acupressure but also includes the principles and application-related knowledge. Furthermore, this article analyzes the common problems encountered in auricular acupressure research in order to improve the familiarity of nurses with this therapy, to provide references for clinical application, and to provide a basis for designing new evidence-based nursing research efforts. PMID:26645441
Is ophthalmology evidence based? A clinical audit of the emergency unit of a regional eye hospital
Lai, T Y Y; Wong, V W Y; Leung, G M
Aim: To evaluate the proportion of interventions that are evidence based in the acute care unit of a regional eye hospital. Methods: A prospective clinical audit was carried out at Hong Kong Eye Hospital in July 2002 to investigate the extent to which ophthalmic practices were evidence based. The major diagnosis and intervention provided were identified through chart review. A corresponding literature search using Medline and the Cochrane Library was performed to assess the degree to which each intervention was based on current, best evidence. Each diagnosis intervention pair was accordingly analysed and graded. The level of best, current evidence supporting each intervention was graded and analysed. Results: A total of 274 consecutive consultation episodes were examined. 22 cases were excluded since no diagnosis or intervention was made during the consultation. 108 (42.9%) patient interventions were found to be based on evidence from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or randomised controlled trials (RCT). Evidence from prospective or retrospective observational studies supported the interventions in 86 (34.1%) patients. In 58 (23.0%) cases, no evidence or opposing evidence was found regarding the intervention. The proportion of evidence based on RCT or systematic reviews was higher for surgical interventions compared with non-surgical interventions (p=0.007). The proportion of interventions based on RCT or systematic reviews was higher for specialist ophthalmologists than trainee ophthalmologists (p=0.021). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the majority of interventions in the ophthalmic unit were evidence based and comparable to the experience of other specialties. PMID:12642295
Burn center journal club promotes clinical research, continuing education, and evidence-based practice.
Fowler, Laura; Gottschlich, Michele M; Kagan, Richard J
The purpose of this study was to characterize the structure, policy, implementation, and outcome measures of a burn team journal club to assess its effectiveness in promoting multidisciplinary education relative to research competency, clinical knowledge, and evidence-based practice. After 2 years of a new multidisciplinary format, an anonymous quality assurance survey was distributed to staff members of a regional pediatric burn center to evaluate the impact of the journal club on clinical and research indicators. The 24 journal club meetings evaluated in this study included a variety of topics, among which were wound healing, infection, nutrition, metabolism, sleep, medications, alternative medicine, research compliance, and child abuse. The speakers included a variety of hospital personnel: 26% researchers, 23% physicians, 20% registered nurses, and 31% other disciplines and attendance mean was 29 participants per session (range 17-50). Survey results from 30 respondents indicated that 100% judged the program to be valuable to personal educational needs and 83% indicated that format did not warrant change. According to self-report data, the journal club enhanced medical knowledge (90%), patient care (73%), research competency (70%), critical thinking (63%), and evidence-based practice (63%). Results indicate that the journal club program was well received by participants, and promoted enhanced knowledge and improved patient care. In the future, barriers to research initiatives and integration of research findings into practice warrant follow-up study. Journal club should be incorporated into the learning curriculum of burn practitioners as a means to promote critical thinking, research competency, and evidence-based clinical practice. PMID:23519068
Electronic Clinic Journaling: The Use of Weblogs to Support Evidence-Based Practice in Doctor of Audiology Students
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Neldon, Gayle B.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a strategy for the provision of high quality health care. The use of journals to document clinical experiences and reflection has been used in speech-language pathology as well as nursing and psychology. This study uses qualitative analysis to study what AuD students learn about evidence-based practice from writing…
The Clinical Management of Bipolar Disorder: A Review of Evidence-Based Guidelines
Thase, Michael E
Objective: To discuss the criteria used to diagnose the mood episodes that constitute bipolar disorder, the approach to the differential diagnosis of these presentations, and the evidence-based treatments that are currently available. Data Sources: A search for evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of adults with bipolar disorder was performed on May 5, 2010, using the National Guideline Clearinghouse database, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence Reports database, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. In addition, a clinical query of the PubMed database (completed March 1, 2010) and searches of drug manufacturers' Web sites (for unpublished trials) were performed to identify randomized, controlled trials and meta-analyses evaluating strategies to treat resistant depression. Study Selection: Guidelines were selected based on data from randomized, controlled trials; meta-analyses; and well-conducted naturalistic trials that were published since 2005. Data Extraction: Four evidence-based treatment guidelines for bipolar disorder were included. Three were published in 2009: those put forth as part of an Australian project, those of the British Association for Psychopharmacology, and those produced by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments. The most recent US guidelines are that of the Texas Implementation of Medication Algorithms project, last updated in 2005. Data Synthesis: Recommendations from all 4 guidelines were reviewed and are presented with a focus on using them to improve clinical care. The recommendations with the most agreement and highest level of clinical evidence were as follows: (1) mania should be treated first-line with lithium, divalproex, or an atypical antipsychotic medication; (2) mixed episodes should be treated first-line with divalproex or an atypical antipsychotic; (3) bipolar depression should be treated with quetiapine
Integrating the principles of evidence-based practice into clinical practice.
Klardie, Kathleen A; Johnson, Judith; McNaughton, Molly Ann; Meyers, Wendy
This series of articles illustrates many considerations relevant to the application of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). This particular column describes the actions of a nurse practitioner (NP) striving to understand the foundations of recommendations that are based largely on expert opinion. Although application of CPGs does not generally require this degree of investigation, it is essential that providers understand the processes used to interpret the basis of recommendations, including the application of the basic statistical concepts, when making decisions about how recommendations apply to individual patient scenarios. Utilizing evidence-based practice when providing patient care requires a range of skills that allows the NP to locate appropriate research evidence, to develop an understanding of the statistics used in interpreting and reporting research, and to evaluate the effects of interventions on patient outcomes. The application of the key concepts of evidenced-based practice within the primary care setting is explored through a hypothetical patient scenario, which was created as the focal point for three articles that illustrate principles of evidence-based practice. The goal of this series of articles is to provide a basic understanding of evidence-based practice and its application in clinical practice. This article explores the use of interventions selected from CPGs and investigates the potential effects of recommended interventions on patient outcomes. Commonly encountered statistical concepts are reviewed, and examples of their application in interpreting and reporting research are demonstrated. The principles of relative risk, relative risk reduction, absolute risk reduction, and numbers needed to treat are described. This review provides the NP with some basic skills to determine both the quality and usefulness of research. PMID:15130064
Classification and clinical diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome: recommendations of recent evidence-based interdisciplinary guidelines.
Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Shir, Yoram; Ablin, Jacob N; Buskila, Dan; Amital, Howard; Henningsen, Peter; Häuser, Winfried
Objectives. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), characterized by subjective complaints without physical or biomarker abnormality, courts controversy. Recommendations in recent guidelines addressing classification and diagnosis were examined for consistencies or differences. Methods. Systematic searches from January 2008 to February 2013 of the US-American National Guideline Clearing House, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Guidelines International Network, and Medline for evidence-based guidelines for the management of FMS were conducted. Results. Three evidence-based interdisciplinary guidelines, independently developed in Canada, Germany, and Israel, recommended that FMS can be clinically diagnosed by a typical cluster of symptoms following a defined evaluation including history, physical examination, and selected laboratory tests, to exclude another somatic disease. Specialist referral is only recommended when some other physical or mental illness is reasonably suspected. The diagnosis can be based on the (modified) preliminary American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 diagnostic criteria. Discussion. Guidelines from three continents showed remarkable consistency regarding the clinical concept of FMS, acknowledging that FMS is neither a distinct rheumatic nor mental disorder, but rather a cluster of symptoms, not explained by another somatic disease. While FMS remains an integral part of rheumatology, it is not an exclusive rheumatic condition and spans a broad range of medical disciplines. PMID:24379886
Classification and Clinical Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Recommendations of Recent Evidence-Based Interdisciplinary Guidelines
Fitzcharles, Mary-Ann; Shir, Yoram; Ablin, Jacob N.; Buskila, Dan; Henningsen, Peter
Objectives. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), characterized by subjective complaints without physical or biomarker abnormality, courts controversy. Recommendations in recent guidelines addressing classification and diagnosis were examined for consistencies or differences. Methods. Systematic searches from January 2008 to February 2013 of the US-American National Guideline Clearing House, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Guidelines International Network, and Medline for evidence-based guidelines for the management of FMS were conducted. Results. Three evidence-based interdisciplinary guidelines, independently developed in Canada, Germany, and Israel, recommended that FMS can be clinically diagnosed by a typical cluster of symptoms following a defined evaluation including history, physical examination, and selected laboratory tests, to exclude another somatic disease. Specialist referral is only recommended when some other physical or mental illness is reasonably suspected. The diagnosis can be based on the (modified) preliminary American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 diagnostic criteria. Discussion. Guidelines from three continents showed remarkable consistency regarding the clinical concept of FMS, acknowledging that FMS is neither a distinct rheumatic nor mental disorder, but rather a cluster of symptoms, not explained by another somatic disease. While FMS remains an integral part of rheumatology, it is not an exclusive rheumatic condition and spans a broad range of medical disciplines. PMID:24379886
Factors associated with medical student clinical reasoning and evidence based medicine practice
Kamei, Robert; Chan, Kenneth; Goh, Sok-Hong; Ngee, Lek
Objectives To identify the factors associated with medical students' clinical reasoning (CR) use and evidence-based medicine (EBM) use in the clinical setting. Methods Our cross-sectional study surveyed 44 final-year medical students at an emerging academic medical center in Singapore. We queried the students' EBM and CR value and experiences in the classroom and clinical settings. We compared this to their perceptions of supervisors' value and experiences using t-tests. We developed measures of teaching culture and practice culture by combining relevant questions into summary scores. Multivariate linear regression models were applied to identify factors associated with the students' CR and EBM clinical use. Results Eighty-nine percent of students responded (n=39). Students reported valuing CR (p=0.03) and EBM (p=0.001) more than their supervisors, but practiced these skills similarly (p=0.83; p=0.82). Clinical practice culture and classroom CR experience were independently associated with students' CR clinical use (p=0.05; p=0.04), and classroom EBM experience was independently associated with students' EBM clinical use (p=0.03). Clinical teaching culture was not associated with students' CR and EBM clinical use. Conclusions Our study found that medical students' classroom experience and the clinical practice culture influenced their CR and EBM use. The clinical teaching culture did not. These findings suggest that in order to increase student CR and EBM use, in addition to providing classroom experience, medical educators may need to change the hospital culture by encouraging supervisors to use these skills in their clinical practice. PMID:26547924
Radiologists' perspectives about evidence-based medicine and their clinical practice: a semistructured interview study
Tong, Allison; Mahady, Suzanne E; Craig, Jonathan C; Lau, Gabes; Peduto, Anthony J; Loy, Clement
Objectives To describe radiologist's attitudes and perspectives on evidence-based medicine (EBM) and their practice. Design Face-to-face semistructured interviews, thematic analysis. Setting 24 institutions across six Australian states and New Zealand. Transcripts were imported into HyperRESEARCH software and thematically analysed. Participants 25 radiologists. Results Six themes were identified: legitimising decisions (validated justification, prioritising patient preferences, reinforcing protocols), optimising outcomes (ensuring patient safety, maximising efficiency), availability of access (requiring immediacy, inadequacy of evidence, time constraints, proximity of peer networks, grasping information dispersion), over-riding pragmatism (perceptibly applicability, preserving the art of medicine, technical demands), limited confidence (conceptual obscurity, reputation-based trust, demands constant practice, suspicion and cynicism), and competing powers (hierarchical conflict, prevailing commercial interests). Conclusions Radiologists believe EBM can support clinical decision-making for optimal patient outcomes and service efficiency but feel limited in their capacities to assimilate and apply EBM in practice. Improving access to evidence, providing ongoing education and training supplemented with practical tools for appraising evidence; and developing evidence-based guidelines and protocols may enhance feasibility and promote the confidence and skills among radiologists in applying EBM in radiology practice for better patient care. PMID:25500161
[Evidence-based clinical practice. Part II--Searching evidence databases].
Bernardo, Wanderley Marques; Nobre, Moacyr Roberto Cuce; Jatene, Fábio Biscegli
The inadequacy of most of traditional sources for medical information, like textbook and review article, do not sustained the clinical decision based on the best evidence current available, exposing the patient to a unnecessary risk. Although not integrated around clinical problem areas in the convenient way of textbooks, current best evidence from specific studies of clinical problems can be found in an increasing number of Internet and electronic databases. The sources that have already undergone rigorous critical appraisal are classified as secondary information sources, others that provide access to original article or abstract, as primary information source, where the quality assessment of the article rely on the clinician oneself . The most useful primary information source are SciELO, the online collection of Brazilian scientific journals, and Medline, the most comprehensive database of the USA National Library of Medicine, where the search may start with use of keywords, that were obtained at the structured answer construction (P.I.C.O.), with the addition of boolean operators "AND", "OR", "NOT". Between the secondary information sources, some of them provide critically appraised articles, like ACP Journal Club, Evidence Based Medicine and InfoPOEMs, others provide evidences organized as online texts, such as "Clinical Evidence" and "UpToDate", and finally, Cochrane Library are composed by systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials. To get studies that could answer the clinical question is part of a mindful practice, that is, becoming quicker and quicker and dynamic with the use of PDAs, Palmtops and Notebooks. PMID:15253037
Towards an evidence-based process for the clinical interpretation of copy number variation
Riggs, ER; Church, DM; Hanson, K; Horner, VL; Kaminsky, EB; Kuhn, RM; Wain, KE; Williams, ES; Aradhya, S; Kearney, HM; Ledbetter, DH; South, ST; Thorland, EC; Martin, CL
The evidence-based review (EBR) process has been widely used to develop standards for medical decision-making and to explore complex clinical questions. This approach can be applied to genetic tests, such as chromosomal microarrays, in order to assist in the clinical interpretation of certain copy number variants (CNVs), particularly those that are rare, and guide array design for optimal clinical utility. To address these issues, the International Standards for Cytogenomic Arrays Consortium has established an EBR Work Group charged with building a framework to systematically assess the potential clinical relevance of CNVs throughout the genome. This group has developed a rating system enumerating the evidence supporting or refuting dosage sensitivity for individual genes and regions that considers the following criteria: number of causative mutations reported; patterns of inheritance; consistency of phenotype; evidence from large-scale case-control studies; mutational mechanisms; data from public genome variation databases; and expert consensus opinion. The system is designed to be dynamic in nature, with regions being reevaluated periodically to incorporate emerging evidence. The evidence collected will be displayed within a publically available database, and can be used in part to inform clinical laboratory CNV interpretations as well as to guide array design. PMID:22097934
Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research Consortium: Accelerating Evidence-Based Practice of Genomic Medicine.
Green, Robert C; Goddard, Katrina A B; Jarvik, Gail P; Amendola, Laura M; Appelbaum, Paul S; Berg, Jonathan S; Bernhardt, Barbara A; Biesecker, Leslie G; Biswas, Sawona; Blout, Carrie L; Bowling, Kevin M; Brothers, Kyle B; Burke, Wylie; Caga-Anan, Charlisse F; Chinnaiyan, Arul M; Chung, Wendy K; Clayton, Ellen W; Cooper, Gregory M; East, Kelly; Evans, James P; Fullerton, Stephanie M; Garraway, Levi A; Garrett, Jeremy R; Gray, Stacy W; Henderson, Gail E; Hindorff, Lucia A; Holm, Ingrid A; Lewis, Michelle Huckaby; Hutter, Carolyn M; Janne, Pasi A; Joffe, Steven; Kaufman, David; Knoppers, Bartha M; Koenig, Barbara A; Krantz, Ian D; Manolio, Teri A; McCullough, Laurence; McEwen, Jean; McGuire, Amy; Muzny, Donna; Myers, Richard M; Nickerson, Deborah A; Ou, Jeffrey; Parsons, Donald W; Petersen, Gloria M; Plon, Sharon E; Rehm, Heidi L; Roberts, J Scott; Robinson, Dan; Salama, Joseph S; Scollon, Sarah; Sharp, Richard R; Shirts, Brian; Spinner, Nancy B; Tabor, Holly K; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter; Veenstra, David L; Wagle, Nikhil; Weck, Karen; Wilfond, Benjamin S; Wilhelmsen, Kirk; Wolf, Susan M; Wynn, Julia; Yu, Joon-Ho
Despite rapid technical progress and demonstrable effectiveness for some types of diagnosis and therapy, much remains to be learned about clinical genome and exome sequencing (CGES) and its role within the practice of medicine. The Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium includes 18 extramural research projects, one National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) intramural project, and a coordinating center funded by the NHGRI and National Cancer Institute. The consortium is exploring analytic and clinical validity and utility, as well as the ethical, legal, and social implications of sequencing via multidisciplinary approaches; it has thus far recruited 5,577 participants across a spectrum of symptomatic and healthy children and adults by utilizing both germline and cancer sequencing. The CSER consortium is analyzing data and creating publically available procedures and tools related to participant preferences and consent, variant classification, disclosure and management of primary and secondary findings, health outcomes, and integration with electronic health records. Future research directions will refine measures of clinical utility of CGES in both germline and somatic testing, evaluate the use of CGES for screening in healthy individuals, explore the penetrance of pathogenic variants through extensive phenotyping, reduce discordances in public databases of genes and variants, examine social and ethnic disparities in the provision of genomics services, explore regulatory issues, and estimate the value and downstream costs of sequencing. The CSER consortium has established a shared community of research sites by using diverse approaches to pursue the evidence-based development of best practices in genomic medicine. PMID:27181682
[Acupuncture clinical studies and evidence-based medicine--an update].
Lao, Li-xing
Acupuncture has been widely used in the West in recent years and demand has been growing for scientific evaluation of its clinical efficacy. The practice of evidence-based medicine has brought new challenges in the design of acupuncture research, and publication of randomized clinical trials on acupuncture has significantly increased. While systematic reviews of these trials have advanced our current knowledge, they have exposed deficiencies in research design and revealed that one design can not answer all research questions. Few clinical studies conducted in China have been published in the West, and most published in Chinese suffer from methodological design flaws that render the results unreliable and unconvincing. Such flaws include inadequate or no randomization, inadequate control, unsatisfactory outcome measurements, lack of proper concealment, insufficient follow-up, and improper statistical analysis. To foster high quality acupuncture clinical research in China, we must cultivate innovation and creativity in research design. It is unwise to simply follow or copy the research methodology of Western pharmaceutical studies. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) must be evaluated using rigorous scientific methods that preserve the essence of TCM concepts, so that acupuncture and TCM, these ancient healing arts, can continue to play an important role in the health care systems of modern societies. PMID:18386647
Naturalistic Outcomes of Evidence-Based Therapies for Borderline Personality Disorder at a Medical University Clinic.
Gregory, Robert J; Sachdeva, Shilpa
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and dynamic deconstructive psychotherapy (DDP) are listed in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices based on their performances in randomized controlled trials. However, little is known about their effectiveness in real-world settings. In the present study, the authors observed the naturalistic outcomes of 68 clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who were treated at a medical university clinic by experienced therapists using either comprehensive DBT (n = 25) or DDP (n = 27), with 16 clients treated with unstructured psychotherapy serving as a control. We found both DBT and DDP achieved significant reductions in symptoms of BPD, depression, and disability by 12 months of treatment, and showed effect sizes consistent with controlled trials. However, attrition from DBT was high and DDP obtained better outcomes than DBT (d = .53). Larger effectiveness studies are needed to replicate these findings, delineate common and unique treatment processes, and determine therapist and patient characteristics predicting positive outcomes. PMID:27329405
Effects of Education Programs on Evidence-Based Practice Implementation for Clinical Nurses.
Sim, Jae Youn; Jang, Keum Seong; Kim, Nam Young
This study was conducted to identify the effectiveness of an education program for evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation of clinical nursing. EBP knowledge/skill, attitude, and belief; information search ability; and EBP implementation were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. Furthermore, the effect on implementation was maintained at week 4 and week 8, indicating that the education program practically promotes the EBP implementation of nurses. Results confirm that the education program for EBP implementation is critical and the continuous education program is an essential part of EBP implementation. Also, to promote EBP implementation and disseminate it to nursing organizations, an immediate concern should be the cultivation of mentors for EBP and fortification of the belief and ability regarding EBP implementation. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(8):363-371. PMID:27467312
Tacit knowledge as the unifying factor in evidence based medicine and clinical judgement.
Thornton, Tim
The paper outlines the role that tacit knowledge plays in what might seem to be an area of knowledge that can be made fully explicit or codified and which forms a central element of Evidence Based Medicine. Appeal to the role the role of tacit knowledge in science provides a way to unify the tripartite definition of Evidence Based Medicine given by Sackett et al: the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. Each of these three elements, crucially including research evidence, rests on an ineliminable and irreducible notion of uncodified good judgement. The paper focuses on research evidence, drawing first on the work of Kuhn to suggest that tacit knowledge contributes, as a matter of fact, to puzzle solving within what he calls normal science. A stronger argument that it must play a role in research is first motivated by looking to Collins' first hand account of replication in applied physics and then broader considerations of replication in justifying knowledge claims in scientific research. Finally, consideration of an argument from Wittgenstein shows that whatever explicit guidelines can be drawn up to guide judgement the specification of what counts as correctly following them has to remain implicit.Overall, the paper sets out arguments for the claim that even though explicit guidelines and codifications can play a practical role in informing clinical practice, they rest on a body of tacit or implicit skill that is in principle ineliminable. It forms the bedrock of good judgement and unites the integration of research, expertise and values. PMID:16759426
Tacit knowledge as the unifying factor in evidence based medicine and clinical judgement
Thornton, Tim
The paper outlines the role that tacit knowledge plays in what might seem to be an area of knowledge that can be made fully explicit or codified and which forms a central element of Evidence Based Medicine. Appeal to the role the role of tacit knowledge in science provides a way to unify the tripartite definition of Evidence Based Medicine given by Sackett et al: the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. Each of these three elements, crucially including research evidence, rests on an ineliminable and irreducible notion of uncodified good judgement. The paper focuses on research evidence, drawing first on the work of Kuhn to suggest that tacit knowledge contributes, as a matter of fact, to puzzle solving within what he calls normal science. A stronger argument that it must play a role in research is first motivated by looking to Collins' first hand account of replication in applied physics and then broader considerations of replication in justifying knowledge claims in scientific research. Finally, consideration of an argument from Wittgenstein shows that whatever explicit guidelines can be drawn up to guide judgement the specification of what counts as correctly following them has to remain implicit. Overall, the paper sets out arguments for the claim that even though explicit guidelines and codifications can play a practical role in informing clinical practice, they rest on a body of tacit or implicit skill that is in principle ineliminable. It forms the bedrock of good judgement and unites the integration of research, expertise and values. PMID:16759426
Perceptions of Approved Clinical Instructors: Barriers in the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice
Hankemeier, Dorice A.; Van Lunen, Bonnie L.
Context: As evidence-based practice (EBP) becomes prevalent in athletic training education, the barriers that Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs) experience in implementing it with students need to be understood. Objective: To investigate barriers ACIs face when implementing EBP concepts in clinical practice and in teaching EBP to professional athletic training students and to investigate the educational emphases to improve the barriers. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Telephone interviews. Patients or Other Participants: Sixteen ACIs (11 men, 5 women; experience as an athletic trainer = 10 ± 4.7 years, experience as an ACI = 6.81 ± 3.9 years) were interviewed. Data Collection and Analysis: We interviewed each participant by telephone. Interview data were analyzed and coded for common themes and subthemes regarding barriers and educational emphases. Themes were triangulated through multiple-analyst triangulation and interpretive verification. Results: Barriers to EBP incorporation and educational emphasis placed on EBP were the main themes reported. Resources, personnel, and student characteristics were subthemes identified as barriers. Resource barriers included time, equipment, access to current literature, and knowledge. Coworkers, clinicians, and coaches who were unwilling to accept evidence regarding advancements in treatment were identified as personnel barriers. Programmatic improvement and communication improvement were subthemes of the educational emphasis placed on EBP theme. The ACIs reported the need for better integration between the clinical setting and the classroom and expressed the need for EBP to be integrated throughout the athletic training education program. Conclusions: Integration of the classroom and clinical experience is important in advancing ACIs' use of EBP with their students. Collaborative efforts within the clinical and academic program could help address the barriers ACIs face when implementing EBP. This collaboration could
A collaborative teaching strategy for enhancing learning of evidence-based clinical decision-making.
Scott, P J; Altenburger, P A; Kean, J
The educational literature cites a lack of student motivation to learn how to use research evidence in clinical decision-making because the students do not observe clinicians using evidence. This lack of motivation presents a challenge to educators as they seek to instill the value of evidence-based clinical decision-making (EBCD) in students. One problem is that students in entry-level programs do not have the experience needed to know what to look for, and secondly, clinical decision-making is contextually based in a patient problem. Our approach offers one solution to bridging the gap between classroom teaching and real-world implementation of EBCD through a three-phase collaborative approach. Occupational and physical therapy students are partnered with clinicians to find and appraise evidence to answer the real-world questions posed by these therapists. This paper describes the implementation of the partnership, teaching/learning outcomes, logistics, and implications for clinicians. We found this approach increased student motivation and greatly enhanced the learning experience. Future directions include implementing a framework which allows for the assessment of the strategy on the facility and creates opportunities to integrate the use of EBCD in all aspects of facility practice. PMID:21927777
Clinical utility of tadalafil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: an evidence-based review
Henrie, Adam M; Nawarskas, James J; Anderson, Joe R
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic and disabling condition characterized by an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and an elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure. Despite recent improvements in treatment availability, PAH remains challenging to treat, burdensome for patients, and ultimately incurable. Tadalafil is a phos-phodiesterase-5 inhibitor that is administered once daily by mouth for the treatment of PAH. Current treatment guidelines recommend tadalafil as an option for patients with World Health Organization functional class II or III PAH. In a placebo-controlled clinical trial, patients taking tadalafil demonstrated significantly improved exercise capacity as measured by the 6-minute walk distance. Patients also experienced decreased incidence of clinical worsening, increased quality of life, and improved cardiopulmonary hemodynamics. Uncontrolled studies and smaller trials have indicated a possible role for tadalafil as a suitable alternative to sildenafil and as a beneficial add-on option when used in combination with other treatments for PAH. Tadalafil is generally safe and well tolerated. Adverse events are typically mild-to-moderate in intensity, and discontinuation rates are usually low. The purpose of this review is to provide an evidence-based evaluation of the clinical utility of tadalafil in the treatment of PAH. PMID:26587013
Chiropractic clinical practice guideline: evidence-based treatment of adult neck pain not due to whiplash
Anderson-Peacock, Elizabeth; Blouin, Jean-Sébastien; Bryans, Roland; Danis, Normand; Furlan, Andrea; Marcoux, Henri; Potter, Brock; Ruegg, Rick; Gross Stein, Janice; White, Eleanor
OBJECTIVE To provide an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the chiropractic cervical treatment of adults with acute or chronic neck pain not due to whiplash. This is a considerable health concern considered to be a priority by stakeholders, and about which the scientific information was poorly organized. OPTIONS Cervical treatments: manipulation, mobilization, ischemic pressure, clinic- and home-based exercise, traction, education, low-power laser, massage, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, pillows, pulsed electromagnetic therapy, and ultrasound. OUTCOMES The primary outcomes considered were improved (reduced and less intrusive) pain and improved (increased and easier) ranges of motion (ROM) of the adult cervical spine. EVIDENCE An "extraction" team recorded evidence from articles found by literature search teams using 4 separate literature searches, and rated it using a Table adapted from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. The searches were 1) Treatment; August, 2003, using MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, MANTIS, ICL, The Cochrane Library (includes CENTRAL), and EBSCO, identified 182 articles. 2) Risk management (adverse events); October, 2004, identified 230 articles and 2 texts. 3) Risk management (dissection); September, 2003, identified 79 articles. 4) Treatment update; a repeat of the treatment search for articles published between September, 2003 and November, 2004 inclusive identified 121 articles. VALUES To enable the search of the literature, the authors (Guidelines Development Committee [GDC]) regarded chiropractic treatment as including elements of "conservative" care in the search strategies, but not in the consideration of the range of chiropractic practice. Also, knowledge based only on clinical experience was considered less valid and reliable than good-caliber evidence, but where the caliber of the relevant evidence was low or it was non-existent, unpublished clinical experience was considered to be equivalent to
Evidence-based provisional clinical classification criteria for autoinflammatory periodic fevers.
Federici, Silvia; Sormani, Maria Pia; Ozen, Seza; Lachmann, Helen J; Amaryan, Gayane; Woo, Patricia; Koné-Paut, Isabelle; Dewarrat, Natacha; Cantarini, Luca; Insalaco, Antonella; Uziel, Yosef; Rigante, Donato; Quartier, Pierre; Demirkaya, Erkan; Herlin, Troels; Meini, Antonella; Fabio, Giovanna; Kallinich, Tilmann; Martino, Silvana; Butbul, Aviel Yonatan; Olivieri, Alma; Kuemmerle-Deschner, Jasmin; Neven, Benedicte; Simon, Anna; Ozdogan, Huri; Touitou, Isabelle; Frenkel, Joost; Hofer, Michael; Martini, Alberto; Ruperto, Nicolino; Gattorno, Marco
The objective of this work was to develop and validate a set of clinical criteria for the classification of patients affected by periodic fevers. Patients with inherited periodic fevers (familial Mediterranean fever (FMF); mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD); tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic fever syndrome (TRAPS); cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS)) enrolled in the Eurofever Registry up until March 2013 were evaluated. Patients with periodic fever, aphthosis, pharyngitis and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome were used as negative controls. For each genetic disease, patients were considered to be 'gold standard' on the basis of the presence of a confirmatory genetic analysis. Clinical criteria were formulated on the basis of univariate and multivariate analysis in an initial group of patients (training set) and validated in an independent set of patients (validation set). A total of 1215 consecutive patients with periodic fevers were identified, and 518 gold standard patients (291 FMF, 74 MKD, 86 TRAPS, 67 CAPS) and 199 patients with PFAPA as disease controls were evaluated. The univariate and multivariate analyses identified a number of clinical variables that correlated independently with each disease, and four provisional classification scores were created. Cut-off values of the classification scores were chosen using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis as those giving the highest sensitivity and specificity. The classification scores were then tested in an independent set of patients (validation set) with an area under the curve of 0.98 for FMF, 0.95 for TRAPS, 0.96 for MKD, and 0.99 for CAPS. In conclusion, evidence-based provisional clinical criteria with high sensitivity and specificity for the clinical classification of patients with inherited periodic fevers have been developed. PMID:25637003
Utilization of evidence-based psychotherapies in Veterans Affairs posttraumatic stress disorder outpatient clinics
Finley, Erin P.; Garcia, Hector A.; Ketchum, Norma S.; McGeary, Donald D.; McGeary, Cindy A.; Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Peterson, Alan L.
In response to the growing numbers of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has sought to make evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD available at every VA facility. We conducted a national survey of providers within VA PTSD clinical teams (PCTs) to describe utilization of Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and to identify individual and organizational factors associated with treatment uptake and adherence. Participants (N = 128) completed an electronic survey assessing reported utilization of PE and CPT treatments, adherence to treatment manuals, and characteristics of the provider and workplace environment. Participants reported conducting a weekly mean of 4.5 hours of PE, 3.9 hours of CPT (individual format), 1.3 hours of CPT (group format), and 13.4 hours of supportive care. Perceived effectiveness of PE and CPT were significantly associated with utilization of and adherence to those treatments. Reported number of hours conducting supportive care was positively associated with feeling the clinic was not sufficiently staffed (p = .05). Adherence to the PE treatment manual was positively associated with receiving emotional support from co-workers (p<.01). Provider attitudes and organizational factors such as staffing and work relationships may have an important impact on treatment selection and the quality of PTSD care provided in VA PCTs. PMID:25419915
The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS): An Evolving Evidence-Based Clinical Approach to Suicidal Risk
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jobes, David A.
The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) is an evidence-based clinical intervention that has significantly evolved over 25 years of clinical research. CAMS is best understood as a therapeutic framework that emphasizes a unique collaborative assessment and treatment planning process between the suicidal patient and…
Effect of Clinically Discriminating, Evidence-Based Checklist Items on the Reliability of Scores from an Internal Medicine Residency OSCE
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Daniels, Vijay J.; Bordage, Georges; Gierl, Mark J.; Yudkowsky, Rachel
Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are used worldwide for summative examinations but often lack acceptable reliability. Research has shown that reliability of scores increases if OSCE checklists for medical students include only clinically relevant items. Also, checklists are often missing evidence-based items that high-achieving…
Viral Immune Evasion in Dengue: Toward Evidence-Based Revisions of Clinical Practice Guidelines
Chiappelli, Francesco; Santos, Silvana Maria Eloi; Caldeira Brant, Xenia Maria; Bakhordarian, Andre; Thames, April D; Maida, Carl A; Du, Angela M; Jan, Allison L; Nahcivan, Melissa; Nguyen, Mia T; Sama, Nateli
Dengue, a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics since the 1950׳s, is fast spreading in the Western hemisphere. Over 30% of the world׳s population is at risk for the mosquitoes that transmit any one of four related Dengue viruses (DENV). Infection induces lifetime protection to a particular serotype, but successive exposure to a different DENV increases the likelihood of severe form of dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), or dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Prompt supportive treatment lowers the risk of developing the severe spectrum of Dengue-associated physiopathology. Vaccines are not available, and the most effective protective measure is to prevent mosquito bites. Here, we discuss selected aspects of the syndemic nature of Dengue, including its potential for pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS). We examine the fundamental mechanisms of cell-mediated and humoral immunity to viral infection in general, and the specific implications of these processes in the regulatory control of DENV infection, including DENV evasion from immune surveillance. In line with the emerging model of translational science in health care, which integrates translational research (viz., going from the patient to the bench and back to the patient) and translational effectiveness (viz., integrating and utilizing the best available evidence in clinical settings), we examine novel and timely evidence-based revisions of clinical practice guidelines critical in optimizing the management of DENV infection and Dengue pathologies. We examine the role of tele-medicine and stakeholder engagement in the contemporary model of patient centered, effectiveness-focused and evidence-based health care. Abbreviations BBB - blood-brain barrier, CNS - central nervous system, DAMP - damage-associated molecular patterns, DENV - dengue virus, DF - dengue fever, DHF - dengue hemorrhagic fever, DSS - dengue shock syndrome, DALYs - isability adjusted life years, IFN
Good publication practices in clinical pharmacology: transparency, evidence-based medicine and the 7-D assessment*
Woodcock, Barry G.; Luger, Veronika
Transparency and evidence-based medicine are cornerstones of good publication practices (GPP), and concern publishers, editors, research investigators, and reviewers alike. Methods for implementing these principles within the framework of GPP are described. The main aspects include obtaining a Manuscript Agreement Contract, a Statement on Transparency of Authorship and a Declaration of Conflicts of Interest from the authors. Assessing whether a manuscript meets the requirements of EBM is demonstrated using the "7-D assessment". The main purpose of this tool is to established that the (1) right Design, (2) right Diagnosis, (3) right Drug molecule, (4) right Dosage, (5) right Data, (6) right Deductions, and (7) right Documentation have been implemented in order to meet the objectives of the investigation. If the findings from any one of these assessments is questionable, the compliance of the research with EBM principles will be weakened and the reviewers and editors will make recommendations to the publisher accordingly. The guidelines described will help to provide a fair and transparent process of scientific publication and foster the freedom of clinical pharmacological research. PMID:26329349
Counseling in fetal medicine: evidence-based answers to clinical questions on morbidly adherent placenta.
D'Antonio, F; Palacios-Jaraquemada, J; Lim, P S; Forlani, F; Lanzone, A; Timor-Tritsch, I; Cali, G
Although the incidence of morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) has risen progressively in the last two decades, there remains uncertainty about the diagnosis and management of this condition. The aim of this review is to provide up-to-date and evidence-based answers to common clinical questions regarding the diagnosis and management of MAP. Different risk factors have been associated with MAP; however, previous Cesarean section and placenta previa are the most frequently associated. Ultrasound is the primary method for diagnosing MAP and has a good overall diagnostic accuracy for its detection. When considering the different ultrasound signs of MAP, color Doppler seems to provide the best diagnostic performance. Magnetic resonance imaging has the same accuracy in diagnosing MAP as does ultrasound examination; its use should be considered when a resective procedure, such as hysterectomy, is planned as it can provide detailed information about the topography of placental invasion and predict difficulties that may arise in surgery. The optimal gestational age for delivery in pregnancies with MAP is yet to be established; planning surgery between 35 and 36 weeks of gestation provides the best balance between fetal maturity and the risk of unexpected episodes of heavy bleeding, which are more likely to occur with delivery after this timepoint, especially in severe cases of MAP. The optimal surgical approach to MAP depends on multiple factors, including availability of an experienced team, specific surgical skills and hospital resources. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. PMID:26195324
The current evidence base for the clinical nurse leader: a narrative review of the literature.
Bender, Miriam
The clinical nurse leader (CNL) is a relatively new nursing role, introduced in 2003 through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). A narrative review of the extant CNL literature was conducted with the aim of comprehensively summarizing the broad and methodologically diverse CNL evidence base. The review included 25 implementation reports, 1 CNL job analysis, 7 qualitative and/or survey studies, and 3 quantitative studies. All CNL implementation reports and studies described improved care quality outcomes after introduction of the role into a care delivery microsystem. Despite preliminary evidence supporting the CNL as an innovative new nursing role capable of consistently improving care quality wherever it is implemented, CNLs are still struggling to define the role to themselves and to the health care spectrum at large. Although the AACN CNL White Paper provides a concise model for CNL educational curriculum and end competencies, there is a compelling need for further research to substantively delineate the CNL role in practice, define care delivery structures and processes that influence CNL integration, and develop indicators capable of capturing CNL-specific contributions to improved care quality. PMID:24720939
Randomised controlled trial of clinical decision support tools to improve learning of evidence based medicine in medical students
Leung, Gabriel M; Johnston, Janice M; Tin, Keith Y K; Wong, Irene O L; Ho, Lai-Ming; Lam, Wendy W T; Lam, Tai-Hing
Objective To assess the educational effectiveness on learning evidence based medicine of a handheld computer clinical decision support tool compared with a pocket card containing guidelines and a control. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting University of Hong Kong, 2001. Participants 169 fourth year medical students. Main outcome measures Factor and individual item scores from a validated questionnaire on five key self reported measures: personal application and current use of evidence based medicine; future use of evidence based medicine; use of evidence during and after clerking patients; frequency of discussing the role of evidence during teaching rounds; and self perceived confidence in clinical decision making. Results The handheld computer improved participants' educational experience with evidence based medicine the most, with significant improvements in all outcome scores. More modest improvements were found with the pocket card, whereas the control group showed no appreciable changes in any of the key outcomes. No significant deterioration was observed in the improvements even after withdrawal of the handheld computer during an eight week washout period, suggesting at least short term sustainability of effects. Conclusions Rapid and convenient access to valid and relevant evidence on a portable computing device can improve learning in evidence based medicine, increase current and future use of evidence, and boost students' confidence in clinical decision making. PMID:14604933
Beyond the clinic: improving child health through evidence-based community development
Background Promoting child wellbeing necessarily goes beyond the clinic as risks to child health and development are embedded in the social and physical environmental conditions in which children live. Pediatricians play a vital role in promoting the health of children in the communities they serve and can maximize their impact by advocating for and supporting efficacious, evidence-based strategies in their communities. Methods To provide a succinct guide for community pediatric efforts to advance the wellbeing of all children and particularly disadvantaged children in a community, we conducted a theory-driven and structured narrative review to synthesize published systematic and meta-analytic reviews of policy-relevant, local-level strategies addressing potent and malleable influences on child health and development. An exhaustive list of policy-relevant, local-level strategies for improving child health was used to conduct a comprehensive search of recent (1990–2012), English language peer-reviewed published meta-analyses and systematic reviews in the 10 core databases of scientific literature. Our review of the literature encompassed six key conceptual domains of intervention foci, including distal influences of child health (i.e., income and resources, social cohesion, and physical environment) and proximal influences (i.e., family, school and peer). We examined intervention effects on four key domains of child health and development: cognitive development, social and emotional competence, psychological and behavioral wellbeing, and physical health. Results Published reviews were identified for 98 distinct policy-relevant community interventions, evaluated across 288 outcomes. We classified 46 strategies as meeting scientific criteria for efficacy by having consistent, positive outcomes from high-quality trials (e.g., tenant-based rental assistance, neighborhood watch programs, urban design and land use policies, access to quality childcare services, class
Hemorrhagic complications of anticoagulant treatment: the Seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy.
Levine, Mark N; Raskob, Gary; Beyth, Rebecca J; Kearon, Clive; Schulman, Sam
This chapter about hemorrhagic complications of anticoagulant treatment is part of the seventh ACCP Conference on Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy: Evidence Based Guidelines. Bleeding is the major complication of anticoagulant therapy. The criteria for defining the severity of bleeding varies considerably between studies, accounting in part for the variation in the rates of bleeding reported. The major determinants of vitamin K antagonist-induced bleeding are the intensity of the anticoagulant effect, underlying patient characteristics, and the length of therapy. There is good evidence that vitamin K antagonist therapy, targeted international normalized ratio (INR) of 2.5 (range, 2.0 to 3.0), is associated with a lower risk of bleeding than therapy targeted at an INR > 3.0. The risk of bleeding associated with IV unfractionated heparin (UFH) in patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) is < 3% in recent trials. This bleeding risk may increase with increasing heparin dosages and age (> 70 years). Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is associated with less major bleeding compared with UFH in acute VTE. UFH and LMWH are not associated with an increase in major bleeding in ischemic coronary syndromes, but are associated with an increase in major bleeding in ischemic stroke. Information on bleeding associated with the newer generation of antithrombotic agents has begun to emerge. In terms of treatment decision making for anticoagulant therapy, bleeding risk cannot be considered alone, ie, the potential decrease in thromboembolism must be balanced against the potential increased bleeding risk. PMID:15383476
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for peptic ulcer disease 2015.
Satoh, Kiichi; Yoshino, Junji; Akamatsu, Taiji; Itoh, Toshiyuki; Kato, Mototsugu; Kamada, Tomoari; Takagi, Atsushi; Chiba, Toshimi; Nomura, Sachiyo; Mizokami, Yuji; Murakami, Kazunari; Sakamoto, Choitsu; Hiraishi, Hideyuki; Ichinose, Masao; Uemura, Naomi; Goto, Hidemi; Joh, Takashi; Miwa, Hiroto; Sugano, Kentaro; Shimosegawa, Tooru
The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology (JSGE) revised the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for peptic ulcer disease in 2014 and has created an English version. The revised guidelines consist of seven items: bleeding gastric and duodenal ulcers, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication therapy, non-eradication therapy, drug-induced ulcer, non-H. pylori, non-nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ulcer, surgical treatment, and conservative therapy for perforation and stenosis. Ninety clinical questions (CQs) were developed, and a literature search was performed for the CQs using the Medline, Cochrane, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases between 1983 and June 2012. The guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Therapy is initially provided for ulcer complications. Perforation or stenosis is treated with surgery or conservatively. Ulcer bleeding is first treated by endoscopic hemostasis. If it fails, surgery or interventional radiology is chosen. Second, medical therapy is provided. In cases of NSAID-related ulcers, use of NSAIDs is stopped, and anti-ulcer therapy is provided. If NSAID use must continue, the ulcer is treated with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) or prostaglandin analog. In cases with no NSAID use, H. pylori-positive patients receive eradication and anti-ulcer therapy. If first-line eradication therapy fails, second-line therapy is given. In cases of non-H. pylori, non-NSAID ulcers or H. pylori-positive patients with no indication for eradication therapy, non-eradication therapy is provided. The first choice is PPI therapy, and the second choice is histamine 2-receptor antagonist therapy. After initial therapy, maintenance therapy is provided to prevent ulcer relapse. PMID:26879862
Clinical Guidelines and the Translation of Texts into Care: Overcoming Professional Conflicts Concerning Evidence-based Practice.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Davenport, Elisabeth
Reviews problems identified in previous research on evidence-based nursing practice; discusses conflicts between medical and nursing domains; explores the provenance and status of the clinical guideline as a translation artefact or bridging mechanism based on a social studies of science approach; and presents a case study of Scottish clinical…
Better Management of Cardiovascular Diseases by Pulse Wave Velocity: Combining Clinical Practice with Clinical Research using Evidence-Based Medicine
Khoshdel, Ali R.; Carney, Shane L.; Nair, Balakrishnan R.; Gillies, Alastair
Arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an accepted strong, independent predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality. However, lack of a reliable reference range has limited its use in clinical practice. In this evidence-based review, we applied published data to develop a PWV risk stratification model and demonstrated its impact on the management of common clinical scenarios. After reviewing 97 studies where PWV was measured, 5 end-stage renal disease patients, 5 hypertensives, 2 diabetics, and 2 elderly studies were selected. Pooling the data by the "fixed-effect model" demonstrated that the mortality and cardiovascular event risk ratio for one level increment in PWV was 2.41 (1.81–3.20) or 1.69 (1.35–2.11), respectively. There was a significant difference in PWV between survived and deceased groups, both in the low and high risk populations. Furthermore, risk comparison demonstrated that 1 standard deviation increment in PWV is equivalent to 10 years of aging, or 1.5 to 2 times the risk of a 10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure. Evidence shows that PWV can be beneficially used in clinical practice for cardiovascular risk stratification. Furthermore, the above risk estimates could be incorporated into currently used cardiac risk scores to improve their predictive power and facilitate the clinical application of PWV. PMID:17456834
Management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: An evidence-based clinical practice review
Arab, Juan P; Candia, Roberto; Zapata, Rodrigo; Muñoz, Cristián; Arancibia, Juan P; Poniachik, Jaime; Soza, Alejandro; Fuster, Francisco; Brahm, Javier; Sanhueza, Edgar; Contreras, Jorge; Cuellar, M Carolina; Arrese, Marco; Riquelme, Arnoldo
AIM: To build a consensus among Chilean specialists on the appropriate management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in clinical practice. METHODS: NAFLD has now reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The optimal treatment for NAFLD has not been established due to a lack of evidence-based recommendations. An expert panel of members of the Chilean Gastroenterological Society and the Chilean Hepatology Association conducted a structured analysis of the current literature on NAFLD therapy. The quality of the evidence and the level of recommendations supporting each statement were assessed according to the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force. A modified three-round Delphi technique was used to reach a consensus among the experts. RESULTS: A group of thirteen experts was established. The survey included 17 open-ended questions that were distributed among the experts, who assessed the articles associated with each question. The levels of agreement achieved by the panel were 93.8% in the first round and 100% in the second and third rounds. The final recommendations support the indication of lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise, for all patients with NAFLD. Proven pharmacological therapies include only vitamin E and pioglitazone, which can be used in nondiabetic patients with biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (the progressive form of NAFLD), although the long-term safety and efficacy of these therapies have not yet been established. CONCLUSION: Current NAFLD management is rapidly evolving, and new pathophysiology-based therapies are expected to be introduced in the near future. All NAFLD patients should be evaluated using a three-focused approach that considers the risks of liver disease, diabetes and cardiovascular events. PMID:25232252
Nephrotic syndrome in dogs: clinical features and evidence-based treatment considerations.
Klosterman, Emily S; Pressler, Barrak M
Nephrotic syndrome (NS), defined as the concurrent presence of hypoalbuminemia, proteinuria, hyperlipidemia, and fluid accumulation in interstitial spaces and/or body cavities, is a rare complication of glomerular disease in dogs, cats, and people. Affected animals frequently have markedly abnormal urine protein:creatinine ratios because of urinary loss of large amounts of protein; however, hypoalbuminemia-associated decreased plasma oncotic pressure is insufficient to explain fluid extravasation in most laboratory models, and, instead, either aberrant renal tubule retention of sodium with resultant increase in hydrostatic pressure or a systemic increase in vascular permeability may be the primary defects responsible for development of NS. Factors associated with NS in people (including "nephrotic-range" serum albumin concentration and urine protein concentration, and particular glomerular disease subtypes) have been assumed previously to also be important in dogs, although descriptions were limited to those patients included in case series of glomerular disease, and sporadic case reports. However, case-control comparison of larger cohorts of dogs with nephrotic versus nonnephrotic glomerular disease more recently suggests that predisposing factors and concurrent clinicopathologic abnormalities differ from those typically encountered in people with nephrotic syndrome, although case progression and negative effect on patient outcome are similar. This article briefly reviews major current theories and supporting evidence on the pathogenesis of NS, followed by an overview on the clinical features of this syndrome in dogs with glomerular disease. The authors also offer evidence-based and experience-based treatment recommendations that are based on minimizing the suspected dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis in affected dogs. PMID:21782144
Meta-Analyses and Orthodontic Evidence-Based Clinical Practice in the 21st Century
Papadopoulos, Moschos A.
Introduction: Aim of this systematic review was to assess the orthodontic related issues which currently provide the best evidence as documented by meta-analyses, by critically evaluating and discussing the methodology used in these studies. Material and Methods: Several electronic databases were searched and handsearching was also performed in order to identify the corresponding meta-analyses investigating orthodontic related subjects. In total, 197 studies were retrieved initially. After applying specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, 27 articles were identified as meta-analyses treating orthodontic-related subjects. Results: Many of these 27 papers presented sufficient quality and followed appropriate meta-analytic approaches to quantitatively synthesize data and presented adequately supported evidence. However, the methodology used in some of them presented weaknesses, limitations or deficiencies. Consequently, the topics in orthodontics which currently provide the best evidence, include some issues related to Class II or Class III treatment, treatment of transverse problems, external apical root resorption, dental anomalies, such as congenital missing teeth and tooth transposition, frequency of severe occlusal problems, nickel hypersensitivity, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and computer-assisted learning in orthodontic education. Conclusions: Only a few orthodontic related issues have been so far investigated by means of MAs. In addition, for some of these issues investigated in the corresponding MAs no definite conclusions could be drawn, due to significant methodological deficiencies of these studies. According to this investigation, it can be concluded that at the begin of the 21st century there is evidence for only a few orthodontic related issues as documented by meta-analyses, and more well-conducted high quality research studies are needed to produce strong evidence in order to support evidence-based clinical practice in orthodontics. PMID
Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for gastroesophageal reflux disease 2015.
Iwakiri, Katsuhiko; Kinoshita, Yoshikazu; Habu, Yasuki; Oshima, Tadayuki; Manabe, Noriaki; Fujiwara, Yasuhiro; Nagahara, Akihito; Kawamura, Osamu; Iwakiri, Ryuichi; Ozawa, Soji; Ashida, Kiyoshi; Ohara, Shuichi; Kashiwagi, Hideyuki; Adachi, Kyoichi; Higuchi, Kazuhide; Miwa, Hiroto; Fujimoto, Kazuma; Kusano, Motoyasu; Hoshihara, Yoshio; Kawano, Tatsuyuki; Haruma, Ken; Hongo, Michio; Sugano, Kentaro; Watanabe, Mamoru; Shimosegawa, Tooru
As an increase in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been reported in Japan, and public interest in GERD has been increasing, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology published the Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for GERD (1st edition) in 2009. Six years have passed since its publication, and there have been a large number of reports in Japan concerning the epidemiology, pathophysiology, treatment, and Barrett's esophagus during this period. By incorporating the contents of these reports, the guidelines were completely revised, and a new edition was published in October 2015. The revised edition consists of eight items: epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, internal treatment, surgical treatment, esophagitis after surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract, extraesophageal symptoms, and Barrett's esophagus. This paper summarizes these guidelines, particularly the parts related to the treatment for GERD. In the present revision, aggressive proton pump inhibitor (PPI) maintenance therapy is recommended for severe erosive GERD, and on-demand therapy or continuous maintenance therapy is recommended for mild erosive GERD or PPI-responsive non-erosive GERD. Moreover, PPI-resistant GERD (insufficient symptomatic improvement and/or esophageal mucosal break persisting despite the administration of PPI at a standard dose for 8 weeks) is defined, and a standard-dose PPI twice a day, change in PPI, change in the PPI timing of dosing, addition of a prokinetic drug, addition of rikkunshito (traditional Japanese herbal medicine), and addition of histamine H2-receptor antagonist are recommended for its treatment. If no improvement is observed even after these treatments, pathophysiological evaluation with esophageal impedance-pH monitoring or esophageal manometry at an expert facility for diseases of the esophagus is recommended. PMID:27325300
External Collection Devices as an Alternative to the Indwelling Urinary Catheter: Evidence-Based Review and Expert Clinical Panel Deliberations.
Gray, Mikel; Skinner, Claudia; Kaler, Wendy
Multiple evidence-based guidelines have suggested clinicians consider external collection devices (ECD) as alternatives to indwelling catheters. Nevertheless, there is a dearth of evidence-based resources concerning their use. An expert consensus panel was convened to review the current state of the evidence, indications for ECDs as an alternative to an indwelling urinary catheter, identify knowledge gaps, and areas for future research. This article presents the results of the expert consensus panel meeting and a systematic literature review regarding ECD use in the clinical setting. PMID:26974963
Tips for teaching evidence-based medicine in a clinical setting: lessons from adult learning theory. Part one
Das, Kausik; Malick, Sadia; Khan, Khalid S
Summary Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is an indispensable tool in clinical practice. Teaching and training of EBM to trainee clinicians is patchy and fragmented at its best. Clinically integrated teaching of EBM is more likely to bring about changes in skills, attitudes and behaviour. Provision of evidence-based health care is the most ethical way to practice, as it integrates up-to-date, patient-oriented research into the clinical decision making process, thus improving patients' outcomes. In this article, we aim to dispel the myth that EBM is an academic and statistical exercise removed from practice by providing practical tips for teaching the minimum skills required to ask questions and critically identify and appraise the evidence and presenting an approach to teaching EBM within the existing clinical and educational training infrastructure. PMID:18840865
Evidence-based cariology in clinical and public health practice as part of the European Core Curriculum in Cariology.
Splieth, Ch H; Innes, N; Söhnel, A
This paper is part of a series of papers contributing towards a European Core Curriculum in Cariology for undergraduate dental students. The European Core Curriculum in Cariology is the outcome of a process starting in 2006 and culminating in a joint workshop of the European Organization for Caries Research together with the Association for Dental Education in Europe, which was held in Berlin from 27 to 30 June 2010. The scope of this paper is to present the evidence-based cariology in clinical and public health section of the European Core Curriculum in Cariology. This section was developed on the basis of international consensus on the current and future educational needs in the fields of cariology and disorders of dental hard tissues. The paper will deal with the core skills of evidence-based dental practice within the undergraduate curriculum underpinning the dual facets of clinical cariology (relating particularly to individuals) and public health cariology (relating particularly to groups/societies). Core competencies in evidence-based dentistry, which are generic to the undergraduate curriculum as a whole and not only cariology, are integral to lifelong learning skills within dentistry. As the clinical cariology competencies in assessment and management of caries for the individual patient are dealt with within other sections of the European Core Curriculum in Cariology, only a few relevant examples will be presented here, but for Public Health Cariology, the competencies will be explored within this document and their relationship to the principles of evidence-based dentistry discussed. PMID:22023546
The clinical effects of red blood cell transfusions: an overview of the randomized controlled trials evidence base.
Wilkinson, Kirstin L; Brunskill, Susan J; Dorée, Carolyn; Hopewell, Sally; Stanworth, Simon; Murphy, Mike F; Hyde, Chris
No up-to-date overview of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion exists. This systematic review examines the quantity and quality of the evidence for the clinical effects of RBC transfusion. One hundred forty-two eligible RCTs were identified through searches of The Cochrane Library (issue 4, 2009), MEDLINE (1950 to November 2009), EMBASE (1974 to November 2009), and other relevant sources. After data extraction and methodological quality assessment, trials were grouped by clinical specialty and type of RBC transfusion. Data analysis was predominantly descriptive. The 142 RCTs covered 11 specialties and 10 types of RBC transfusion. The number of included patients varied widely across the RCTs (median, 57; IQ range, 27-167). Most trials were single center comparing 2 parallel study arms. Overall, the reporting of methodological assessment was poor, although it improved markedly from 2001. Clinical areas with few trials are highlighted. Comparison with a study of RBC use in clinical practice highlighted a lack of correlation between the size of the evidence base for a given clinical specialty and the proportion of total RBC use by that clinical specialty. The gaps in the evidence base and the poor methodology of trials particularly in the past do not provide a strong evidence base for the use of RBC transfusions, but they indicate important targets for future research. PMID:21345644
Electronic health record: integrating evidence-based information at the point of clinical decision making.
Fowler, Susan A; Yaeger, Lauren H; Yu, Feliciano; Doerhoff, Dwight; Schoening, Paul; Kelly, Betsy
The authors created two tools to achieve the goals of providing physicians with a way to review alternative diagnoses and improving access to relevant evidence-based library resources without disrupting established workflows. The "diagnostic decision support tool" lifted terms from standard, coded fields in the electronic health record and sent them to Isabel, which produced a list of possible diagnoses. The physicians chose their diagnoses and were presented with the "knowledge page," a collection of evidence-based library resources. Each resource was automatically populated with search results based on the chosen diagnosis. Physicians responded positively to the "knowledge page." PMID:24415920
Comparison of residents' approaches to clinical decisions before and after the implementation of Evidence Based Medicine course
Introduction: It has been found that the decision-making process in medicine is affected, to a large extent, by one's experience, individual mentality, previous models, and common habitual approaches, in addition to scientific principles. Evidence-based medicine is an approach attempting to reinforce scientific, systematic and critical thinking in physicians and provide the ground for optimal decision making. In this connection, the purpose of the present study is to find out to what extent the education of evidence based medicine affects clinical decision making. Methods: The present quasi-experimental study was carried out on 110 clinical residents, who started their education in September, 2012 and finally 62 residents filled out the questionnaires. The instrument used was a researcher-made questionnaire containing items on four decision-making approaches. The questionnaire was used both as a pre-test and a post-test to assess the residents' viewpoints on decision making approaches. The validity of the questionnaire was determined using medical education and clinical professionals' viewpoints, and the reliability was calculated through Chronbach alpha; it was found to be 0.93. The results were analyzed by paired t-test using SPSS, version 14. Results: The results demonstrated that evidence-based medicine workshop significantly affected the residents' decision-making approaches (p<0.001). The pre-test showed that principles-based, reference-based and routine model-based approaches were more preferred before the program (p<0.001). However, after the implementation of the program, the dominant approaches used by the residents in their decision making were evidence-based ones. Conclusion: To develop the evidence-based approach, it is necessary for educational programs to continue steadily and goal-orientedly. In addition, the equipment infrastructure such as the Internet, access to data bases, scientific data, and clinical guides should develop more in the
Evidence Based Clinical Assessment of Child and Adolescent Social Phobia: A Critical Review of Rating Scales
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tulbure, Bogdan T.; Szentagotai, Aurora; Dobrean, Anca; David, Daniel
Investigating the empirical support of various assessment instruments, the evidence based assessment approach expands the scientific basis of psychotherapy. Starting from Hunsley and Mash's evaluative framework, we critically reviewed the rating scales designed to measure social anxiety or phobia in youth. Thirteen of the most researched social…
Understanding the Common Elements of Evidence-Based Practice: Misconceptions and Clinical Examples
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chorpita, Bruce F.; Becker, Kimberly D.; Daleiden, Eric L.
In this article, the authors proposed a distillation and matching model (DMM) that describes how evidence-based treatment operations can be conceptualized at a lower order level of analysis than simply by their manuals. Also referred to as the "common elements" approach, this model demonstrates the feasibility of coding and identifying the…
Engaging a Nursing Workforce in Evidence-Based Practice: Introduction of a Nursing Clinical Effectiveness Committee.
McKeever, Stephen; Twomey, Bernadette; Hawley, Meaghan; Lima, Sally; Kinney, Sharon; Newall, Fiona
This column shares the best evidence-based strategies and innovative ideas on how to facilitate the learning of EBP principles and processes by clinicians as well as nursing and interprofessional students. Guidelines for submission are available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1741-6787. PMID:26606269
Methodological quality of systematic reviews and clinical trials on women's health published in a Brazilian evidence-based health journal
Macedo, Cristiane Rufino; Riera, Rachel; Torloni, Maria Regina
OBJECTIVES: To assess the quality of systematic reviews and clinical trials on women's health recently published in a Brazilian evidence-based health journal. METHOD: All systematic reviews and clinical trials on women's health published in the last five years in the Brazilian Journal of Evidence-based Health were retrieved. Two independent reviewers critically assessed the methodological quality of reviews and trials using AMSTAR and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Table, respectively. RESULTS: Systematic reviews and clinical trials accounted for less than 10% of the 61 original studies on women's health published in the São Paulo Medical Journal over the last five years. All five reviews were considered to be of moderate quality; the worst domains were publication bias and the appropriate use of study quality in formulating conclusions. All three clinical trials were judged to have a high risk of bias. The participant blinding, personnel and outcome assessors and allocation concealment domains had the worst scores. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the systematic reviews and clinical trials on women's health recently published in a Brazilian evidence-based journal are of low to moderate quality. The quality of these types of studies needs improvement. PMID:23778332
Redesigning Radiotherapy Quality Assurance: Opportunities to Develop an Efficient, Evidence-Based System to Support Clinical Trials
Bekelman, Justin E.; Deye, James A.; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Bentzen, Soren M.; Bruner, Deborah; Curran, Walter J.; Dignam, James; Efstathiou, Jason A.; FitzGerald, T. J.; Hurkmans, Coen; Ibbott, Geoffrey S.; Lee, J. Jack; Merchant, Timothy E.; Michalski, Jeff; Palta, Jatinder R.; Simon, Richard; Ten Haken, Randal K.; Timmerman, Robert; Tunis, Sean; Coleman, C. Norman; Purdy, James
Background In the context of national calls for reorganizing cancer clinical trials, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored a two day workshop to examine the challenges and opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) in clinical trial design. Methods Participants reviewed the current processes of clinical trial QA and noted the QA challenges presented by advanced technologies. Lessons learned from the radiotherapy QA programs of recent trials were discussed in detail. Four potential opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy QA were explored, including the use of normal tissue toxicity and tumor control metrics, biomarkers of radiation toxicity, new radiotherapy modalities like proton beam therapy, and the international harmonization of clinical trial QA. Results Four recommendations were made: 1) Develop a tiered (and more efficient) system for radiotherapy QA and tailor intensity of QA to clinical trial objectives. Tiers include (i) general credentialing, (ii) trial specific credentialing, and (iii) individual case review; 2) Establish a case QA repository; 3) Develop an evidence base for clinical trial QA and introduce innovative prospective trial designs to evaluate radiotherapy QA in clinical trials; and 4) Explore the feasibility of consolidating clinical trial QA in the United States. Conclusion Radiotherapy QA may impact clinical trial accrual, cost, outcomes and generalizability. To achieve maximum benefit, QA programs must become more efficient and evidence-based. PMID:22425219
Evidence-based medicine and values-based medicine: partners in clinical education as well as in clinical practice
The best clinical decisions are based on both evidence and values in what is known as the 'two-feet principle'. Anecdotally, educationalists find teaching clinicians to become more evidence based is relatively simple in comparison to encouraging them to become more values based. One reason is likely to be the importance of values awareness. As values-based practice is premised on a mutual respect for the diversity of values, clinicians need to develop the skills to ascertain patient values and to get in touch with their own beliefs and preferences in order to understand those at play in any consultation. Only then can shared decision-making processes take place within a shared framework of values. In a research article published in BMC Medicine, Altamirano-Bustamante and colleagues highlight difficulties that clinicians face in getting in touch with their own values. Despite finding that healthcare personnel's core values were honesty and respect, autonomy was initially low ranked by participants. One significant aspect of this work is that this group has demonstrated that the extent to which clinicians value 'autonomy' and 'openness to change' can both be positively influenced by well designed education. PMID:23414247
Clarifying Evidence-Based Medicine in Educational and Therapeutic Experiences of Clinical Faculty Members: A Qualitative Study in Iran
Safari, Yahya
Introduction: Although evidence-based medicine has been a significant part of recent research efforts to reform the health care system, it requires an assessment of real life community and patient. The present study strives to clarify the concept of evidence-based medicine in educational and therapeutic experiences of clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (2014). Materials and Methods: It was a qualitative study of phenomenology. The population consists of 12 clinical faculty members of Kermanshah University Medical Sciences. Sampling was carried out using a purposeful method. Sample volume was determined using adequacy of samples' law. Data gathering occurred through semi-structured interviews. Collaizzi pattern was employed for data interpretation concurrent with data gathering. Results: interpreting the data, three main themes were extracted. They include: 1. Unawareness and disuse (unaware of the concept, disuse, referral to colleagues, experiment prescription) 2. Conscious or unconscious use (using journals and scientific websites, aware of the process). 3. Beliefs (belief or disbelief in necessity). Conclusion: It sounds essential to change the behavior of clinical faculty members from passive to active with respect to employing evidence-based medicine as well as to alter negative attitudes into positive ones. In so doing, systematic training program aiming at behavior changing is necessary. Also, providing dissent facilities and infrastructures and removing barriers to the use of EBM can be effective. PMID:26153205
Perioperative Nursing Leaders Implement Clinical Practice Guidelines Using the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice.
White, Shawna; Spruce, Lisa
Many health care organizations, nursing leaders, and individual clinicians are not providing care consistently based on evidence and many are not aware of the evidence that is available. Preventable complications have an adverse effect on hospital reimbursement and the burden is placed on hospital personnel and nursing leaders to use current evidence to improve care and prevent complications, such as surgical site infections. Using AORN resources, leadership involvement and ownership, and implementing a theoretical model will contribute to implementing daily evidence-based practice and help to decrease the chasm between research and practice. PMID:26119609
Clinical Impact and Evidence Base for Physiotherapy in Treating Childhood Chronic Pain
Amaria, Khush; Campbell, Fiona; McGrath, Patricia A.
ABSTRACT Purpose: As part of the special series on pain, our objectives are to describe the key features of chronic pain in children, present the rationale for interdisciplinary treatment, report a case study based on our biopsychosocial approach, and highlight the integral role of physiotherapy in reducing children's pain and improving function. We also evaluate the evidence base supporting physiotherapy for treating chronic neuropathic pain in children. Summary of Key Points: Chronic pain affects many children and adolescents. Certain challenging pain conditions begin primarily during adolescence and disproportionately affect girls and women. Children with these conditions require an interdisciplinary treatment programme that includes physiotherapy as well as medication and/or psychological intervention. Converging lines of evidence from cohort follow-up studies, retrospective chart reviews, and one randomized controlled trial support the effectiveness of physiotherapy within an interdisciplinary programme for treating children with chronic pain. Conclusions: Evidence-based practice dictates that health care providers adopt clear guidelines for determining when treatments are effective and for identifying children for whom such treatments are most effective. Thus, additional well-designed trials are required to better identify the specific physiotherapy modalities that are most important in improving children's pain and function. PMID:22210976
The first center for evidence-based medicine in Lithuania: an opportunity to change culture and improve clinical practice.
Beinortas, Tumas; Bauza, Karolis; Howick, Jeremy; Nunan, David; Mahtani, Kamal Ram
In post-Soviet countries, where medical practice largely relies on experience alone, the incorporation of the best research evidence in clinical practice is limited. In order to promote the awareness and utilization of evidence-based medicine (EBM) among Lithuanian doctors, we organized EBM conferences in each of the two Lithuanian medical schools. More than 500 medical professionals and students attended the conferences in Vilnius (2013) and Kaunas (2014) demonstrating that there is a high demand for formal EBM teaching. Building on the success of these seminal conferences, and to start addressing the lack of EBM practice in the country, the first Lithuanian Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine was established at Vilnius University Medical Faculty in 2014. The Centre will focus on the implementation of EBM teaching in medical school curriculum, formulating management guidelines, writing systematic reviews and supporting Lithuanian authors in doing so. PMID:25955430
Nurses' Use of Evidence-Based Practice in Clinical Practice After Attending a Formal Evidence-Based Practice Course: A Quality Improvement Evaluation.
Connor, Linda; Dwyer, Patricia; Oliveira, Joanne
This quality improvement project explored whether participation in an evidence-based practice (EBP) course influenced the use of EBP in day-to-day nursing practice. Data from two focus groups highlighted the impact of the EBP course, areas for further development, and potential barriers to the utilization of EBP. The authors found that educational offerings that remove barriers to EBP (knowledge and time) improve nurses' utilization of EBP. Ongoing professional development support is needed to foster the use of EBP in practice. PMID:26797308
Steroids for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: evidence base and clinical practice.
Press, R; Hiew, F L; Rajabally, Y A
Evidence-based therapies for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) consist of corticosteroids, intravenous immunglobulins (IVIg), and plasma exchange. Steroids represent the oldest treatment used historically. In countries where readily available and affordable, IVIg tends to be favored as first-line treatment. The reason for this preference, despite substantially higher costs, is the perception that IVIg is more efficacious and safer than corticosteroids. However, the unselected use of IVIg as a first-line treatment option in all cases of CIDP raises issues of cost-effectiveness in the long-term. Furthermore, serious although rare, particularly thromboembolic side effects may result from their use. Recent data from randomized trials suggest pulsed corticosteroids to have a higher potential in achieving therapy-free remission or longer remission-free periods compared with IVIg, as well as relatively low rates of serious side effects when given as pulsed intravenous infusions during short periods of time. These specific advantages suggest that pulsed steroids could in many cases be used, as the first, rather than second choice of treatment when initiating immunomodulation in CIDP, primarily in hopes of achieving a remission after the short-term use. This article reviews the evidence base for the use of corticosteroids in its various forms in CIDP and factors that may influence clinicians' choice between IVIg and pulsed steroid treatment. The issue of efficacy, relapse rate and time, and side effect profile are analyzed, and some aspects from the authors' experience are discussed in relation to the possibility of using the steroid option as first-line therapy in a large proportion of patients with CIDP. PMID:26437234
Clinical Epidemiology (CE) and Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) in the Asia Pacific region (Round Table Forum).
Su, Tin Tin; Bulgiba, Awang M; Sampatanukul, Pichet; Sastroasmoro, Sudigdo; Chang, Peter; Tharyan, Prathap; Lin, Vivian; Wong, Yut Lin
Clinical Epidemiology (CE) and Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) have become increasingly important in an era of rising costs, patient safety concerns and evidence-based health care. CE and EBM research in the Asia Pacific region have grown significantly. However, there are three main challenges such as linking evidence to practice and policy; developing a strong collaborative network; and a need for resources and technical expertise to produce evidence. The Cochrane Collaboration is a possible solution to resolve above challenges identified, particularly the challenge of transforming evidence to practice. In addition, training can be carried out to enhance technical expertise in the region and there is also the promising potential that collaborations could extend beyond systematic reviews. To improve the adoption of evidence-based health policy, selection of the best evidence for the right audience and focusing on the relevant issues through appropriate methodology are essential. Information on effectiveness and cost effectiveness needs to be highlighted for policy makers. The way forward to strengthen research and capacity building is to establish the Asia Pacific Consortium for CE and EBM. The consortium would help to create mutually rewarding scientific research and collaborations that will augur well for advances in CE and EBM. PMID:23624253
Applying psychological theory to evidence-based clinical practice: identifying factors predictive of taking intra-oral radiographs.
Bonetti, Debbie; Pitts, Nigel B; Eccles, Martin; Grimshaw, Jeremy; Johnston, Marie; Steen, Nick; Glidewell, Liz; Thomas, Ruth; Maclennan, Graeme; Clarkson, Jan E; Walker, Anne
This study applies psychological theory to the implementation of evidence-based clinical practice. The first objective was to see if variables from psychological frameworks (developed to understand, predict and influence behaviour) could predict an evidence-based clinical behaviour. The second objective was to develop a scientific rationale to design or choose an implementation intervention. Variables from the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Social Cognitive Theory, Self-Regulation Model, Operant Conditioning, Implementation Intentions and the Precaution Adoption Process were measured, with data collection by postal survey. The primary outcome was the number of intra-oral radiographs taken per course of treatment collected from a central fee claims database. Participants were 214 Scottish General Dental Practitioners. At the theory level, the Theory of Planned Behaviour explained 13% variance in the number of radiographs taken, Social Cognitive Theory explained 7%, Operant Conditioning explained 8%, Implementation Intentions explained 11%. Self-Regulation and Stage Theory did not predict significant variance in radiographs taken. Perceived behavioural control, action planning and risk perception explained 16% of the variance in number of radiographs taken. Knowledge did not predict the number of radiographs taken. The results suggest an intervention targeting predictive psychological variables could increase the implementation of this evidence-based practice, while influencing knowledge is unlikely to do so. Measures which predicted number of radiographs taken also predicted intention to take radiographs, and intention accounted for significant variance in behaviour (adjusted R(2)=5%: F(1,166)=10.28, p<.01), suggesting intention may be a possible proxy for behavioural data when testing an intervention prior to a service-level trial. Since psychological frameworks incorporate methodologies to measure and change component variables, taking a theory-based approach
[Economic aspects of inpatient treatment for decompensated liver cirrhosis: a prospective study employing an evidence-based clinical pathway].
Hahn, N; Bobrowski, C; Weber, E; Simon, P; Kraft, M; Aghdassi, A; Raetzell, M; Wilke, M; Lerch, M M; Mayerle, J
The introduction of the G-DRG reimbursement system has greatly increased the pressure to provide cost effective treatment in German hospitals. Reimbursement based on diagnosis-related groups, which requires stratification of costs incurred is still not sufficiently discriminating the disease severity and severity in relation to the intensive costs in gastroenterology. In a combined retrospective and prospective study at a tertial referral centre we investigated whether this also applies for decompensated liver cirrhosis. In 2006, 64 retrospective cases (age 57 ± 12.9; ♂ 69.2 %, ♀ 29.8 %) with decompensated liver cirrhosis (ICD code K76.4) were evaluated for their length of hospitalisation, reimbursement as well as Child and MELD scores. In 2008, 74 cases with decompensated liver cirrhosis were treated in a prospective study according to a standardised and evidence-based clinical pathway (age 57 ± 12.2; 73 % ♂, ♀ 27 %). Besides a trend in the reduction of length of hospital stay (retrospective: 13.6 ± 8.6, prospective 13.0 ± 7.2, p = 0.85) overall revenues from patients treated according to a evidence-based clinical pathway were lower than the calculated costs from the InEK matrix. Costs of medication as a percentage of reimbursement amount increased with increasing severity. In both years we could demonstrate an inverse correlation between daily reimbursement and disease severity which precluded cost coverage. For the cost-covering hospital treatment of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis an adjustment of the DRG based on clinical severity scores such as Child-Pugh or MELD is warranted, if evidence-based treatment standards are to be kept. PMID:23299901
Evidence-based protocol for structural rehabilitation of the spine and posture: review of clinical biomechanics of posture (CBP®) publications
Oakley, Paul A.; Harrison, Donald D.; Harrison, Deed E.; Haas, Jason W.
BACKGROUND Although practice protocols exist for SMT and functional rehabilitation, no practice protocols exist for structural rehabilitation. Traditional chiropractic practice guidelines have been limited to acute and chronic pain treatment, with limited inclusion of functional and exclusion of structural rehabilitation procedures. OBJECTIVE (1) To derive an evidence-based practice protocol for structural rehabilitation from publications on Clinical Biomechanics of Posture (CBP®) methods, and (2) to compare the evidence for Diversified, SMT, and CBP®. METHODS Clinical control trials utilizing CBP® methods and spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) were obtained from searches in Mantis, CINAHL, and Index Medicus. Using data from SMT review articles, evidence for Diversified Technique (as taught in chiropractic colleges), SMT, and CBP® were rated and compared. RESULTS From the evidence from Clinical Control Trials on SMT and CBP®, there is very little evidence support for Diversified (our rating = 18), as taught in chiropractic colleges, for the treatment of pain subjects, while CBP® (our rating = 46) and SMT for neck pain (rating = 58) and low back pain (our rating = 202) have evidence-based support. CONCLUSIONS While CBP® Technique has approximately as much evidence-based support as SMT for neck pain, CBP® has more evidence to support its methods than the Diversified technique taught in chiropractic colleges, but not as much as SMT for low back pain. The evolution of chiropractic specialization has occurred, and doctors providing structural-based chiropractic care require protocol guidelines for patient quality assurance and standardization. A structural rehabilitation protocol was developed based on evidence from CBP® publications. PMID:17549209
Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Interventional Pain Management in Cancer Pain
Bhatnagar, Sushma; Gupta, Maynak
Intractable cancer pain not amenable to standard oral or parenteral analgesics is a horrifying truth in 10–15% of patients. Interventional pain management techniques are an indispensable arsenal in pain physician's armamentarium for severe, intractable pain and can be broadly classified into neuroablative and neuromodulation techniques. An array of neurolytic techniques (chemical, thermal, or surgical) can be employed for ablation of individual nerve fibers, plexuses, or intrathecalneurolysis in patients with resistant pain and short life-expectancy. Neuraxial administration of drugs and spinal cord stimulation to modulate or alter the pain perception constitutes the most frequently employed neuromodulation techniques. Lately, there is a rising call for early introduction of interventional techniques in carefully selected patients simultaneously or even before starting strong opioids. After decades of empirical use, it is the need of the hour to head towards professionalism and standardization in order to secure credibility of specialization and those practicing it. Even though the interventional management has found a definite place in cancer pain, there is a dearth of evidence-based practice guidelines for interventional therapies in cancer pain. This may be because of paucity of good quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating their safety and efficacy in cancer pain. Laying standardized guidelines based on existing and emerging evidence will act as a foundation step towards strengthening, credentialing, and dissemination of the specialty of interventional cancer pain management. This will also ensure an improved decision-making and quality of life (QoL) of the suffering patients. PMID:26009665
Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Interventional Pain Management in Cancer Pain.
Bhatnagar, Sushma; Gupta, Maynak
Intractable cancer pain not amenable to standard oral or parenteral analgesics is a horrifying truth in 10-15% of patients. Interventional pain management techniques are an indispensable arsenal in pain physician's armamentarium for severe, intractable pain and can be broadly classified into neuroablative and neuromodulation techniques. An array of neurolytic techniques (chemical, thermal, or surgical) can be employed for ablation of individual nerve fibers, plexuses, or intrathecalneurolysis in patients with resistant pain and short life-expectancy. Neuraxial administration of drugs and spinal cord stimulation to modulate or alter the pain perception constitutes the most frequently employed neuromodulation techniques. Lately, there is a rising call for early introduction of interventional techniques in carefully selected patients simultaneously or even before starting strong opioids. After decades of empirical use, it is the need of the hour to head towards professionalism and standardization in order to secure credibility of specialization and those practicing it. Even though the interventional management has found a definite place in cancer pain, there is a dearth of evidence-based practice guidelines for interventional therapies in cancer pain. This may be because of paucity of good quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating their safety and efficacy in cancer pain. Laying standardized guidelines based on existing and emerging evidence will act as a foundation step towards strengthening, credentialing, and dissemination of the specialty of interventional cancer pain management. This will also ensure an improved decision-making and quality of life (QoL) of the suffering patients. PMID:26009665
Female genital cutting: an evidence-based approach to clinical management for the primary care physician.
Hearst, Adelaide A; Molnar, Alexandra M
The United States has more than 1.5 million immigrants from countries in Africa and the Middle East where female genital cutting (FGC) is known to occur. Often, FGC occurs in infancy and childhood in the countries where it is practiced, but patients of any age can present with complications. Lack of understanding of this common problem can potentially alienate and lower quality of care for this patient population. We provide an introduction to the practice of FGC and practice guidelines for the primary care physician. We reviewed original research, population-based studies, and legal research from PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL plus, PsycINFO, and Legal Trac. The terms searched included female genital cutting, female genital circumcision, and female genital mutilation alone and with the term complications or health consequences; no limit on date published. Legal databases were searched using the above terms, as well as international law and immigration law. Editorials and review articles were excluded. This review discusses the different types of FGC, important cultural considerations for physicians caring for patients with FGC, the common early and late medical complications and their management, and psychosocial issues associated with FGC. Current laws pertaining to FGC are briefly reviewed, as well as implications for patients seeking asylum status in the United States because of FGC. Finally, the article presents evidence-based, culturally sensitive approaches to discussions of FGC with girls and women for whom this is an issue. PMID:23726401
Evidence-based use of electronic clinical tracking systems in advanced practice registered nurse education: an integrative review.
Branstetter, M Laurie; Smith, Lynette S; Brooks, Andrea F
Over the past decade, the federal government has mandated healthcare providers to incorporate electronic health records into practice by 2015. This technological update in healthcare documentation has generated a need for advanced practice RN programs to incorporate information technology into education. The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties created core competencies to guide program standards for advanced practice RN education. One core competency is Technology and Information Literacy. Educational programs are moving toward the utilization of electronic clinical tracking systems to capture students' clinical encounter data. The purpose of this integrative review was to evaluate current research on advanced practice RN students' documentation of clinical encounters utilizing electronic clinical tracking systems to meet advanced practice RN curriculum outcome goals in information technology as defined by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. The state of the science depicts student' and faculty attitudes, preferences, opinions, and data collections of students' clinical encounters. Although electronic clinical tracking systems were utilized to track students' clinical encounters, these systems have not been evaluated for meeting information technology core competency standards. Educational programs are utilizing electronic clinical tracking systems with limited evidence-based literature evaluating the ability of these systems to meet the core competencies in advanced practice RN programs. PMID:24814999
Using focused reflection and articulation to promote clinical reasoning: an evidence-based teaching strategy.
Murphy, Judy Irene
This research explored the effects of instructing first-semester nursing students in the use of focused reflection and articulation to promote clinical reasoning. Student volunteers were randomly assigned to four clinical groups. Two groups that received instruction in the use of focused reflection and articulation scored significantly higher on the practice measure of clinical reasoning, accounting for 29 percent of the variance between groups. Once clinical reasoning scores were tabulated, the top six and bottom six scorers on clinical reasoning were interviewed to identify qualitative differences between students with different reasoning levels. Themes from the interviews revealed that those with high clinical reasoning reported a high frequency of use of focused reflection and articulation, engaged in abstract learning, and were more self-regulated in their learning than those who scored low on clinical reasoning. This study provides empirical evidence that using instructional methods that focus learners' attention on the concrete application of theory in the practicum setting helps enhance their reasoning skills. PMID:15508561
Adopting evidence-based practice in clinical decision making: nurses' perceptions, knowledge, and barriers
Majid, Shaheen; Foo, Schubert; Luyt, Brendan; Zhang, Xue; Theng, Yin-Leng; Chang, Yun-Ke; Mokhtar, Intan A
Objective: Evidence-based practice (EBP) provides nurses with a method to use critically appraised and scientifically proven evidence for delivering quality health care to a specific population. The objective of this study was to explore nurses' awareness of, knowledge of, and attitude toward EBP and factors likely to encourage or create barriers to adoption. In addition, information sources used by nurses and their literature searching skills were also investigated. Method: A total of 2,100 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to registered nurses in 2 public hospitals in Singapore, and 1,486 completed forms were returned, resulting in a response rate of 70.8%. Results: More than 64% of the nurses expressed a positive attitude toward EBP. However, they pointed out that due to heavy workload, they cannot keep up to date with new evidence. Regarding self-efficacy of EBP-related abilities, the nurses perceived themselves to possess moderate levels of skills. The nurses also felt that EBP training, time availability, and mentoring by nurses with EBP experience would encourage them to implement EBP. The top three barriers to adopting EBP were lack of time, inability to understand statistical terms, and inadequate understanding of the jargon used in research articles. For literature searching, nurses were using basic search features and less than one-quarter of them were familiar with Boolean and proximity operators. Conclusion: Although nurses showed a positive attitude toward EBP, certain barriers were hindering their smooth adoption. It is, therefore, desirable that hospital management in Southeast Asia, particularly in Singapore, develop a comprehensive strategy for building EBP competencies through proper training. Moreover, hospital libraries should also play an active role in developing adequate information literacy skills among the nurses. PMID:21753915
Development of a Multilevel Framework to Increase Use of Targeted Evidence-Based Practices in Addiction Treatment Clinics.
Molfenter, Todd; McCarty, Dennis; Capoccia, Victor; Gustafson, David
Implementing specific evidence-based practices (EBPs) across a set of addiction treatment providers have been a persistent challenge. In the Advancing Recovery(AR) demonstration project, single state agencies, the entities that distribute federal funds for substance use disorder prevention and treatment services, worked in partnership with providers to increase the use of EBPs in the treatment of addiction. The project supported two cohorts of six 2-year awards. Field observations from the first year of implementation guided development of a multilevel framework (the Advancing Recovery Framework). Government entities and other payers can use the framework as a guide for implementing evidence-based clinical practices within treatment networks. The Advancing Recover Framework calls for a combination of policy and organizational changes at both the payer (government agency) and provider levels. Using the Advancing Recovery Framework, 11 of the 12 AR payer/provider partnerships increased use of clinical EPBs. This article identifies key payer policy changes applied during different phases of EBP program implementation. The public health benefit of the demonstration project was broader use of medication-assisted therapy and continuing care in addiction treatment services. PMID:24955331
Ketamine in adult cardiac surgery and the cardiac surgery Intensive Care Unit: An evidence-based clinical review
Mazzeffi, Michael; Johnson, Kyle; Paciullo, Christopher
Ketamine is a unique anesthetic drug that provides analgesia, hypnosis, and amnesia with minimal respiratory and cardiovascular depression. Because of its sympathomimetic properties it would seem to be an excellent choice for patients with depressed ventricular function in cardiac surgery. However, its use has not gained widespread acceptance in adult cardiac surgery patients, perhaps due to its perceived negative psychotropic effects. Despite this limitation, it is receiving renewed interest in the United States as a sedative and analgesic drug for critically ill-patients. In this manuscript, the authors provide an evidence-based clinical review of ketamine use in cardiac surgery patients for intensive care physicians, cardio-thoracic anesthesiologists, and cardio-thoracic surgeons. All MEDLINE indexed clinical trials performed during the last 20 years in adult cardiac surgery patients were included in the review. PMID:25849690
Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Relation to a Clinical Nursing Ladder System: A National Survey in Taiwan
Weng, Yi-Hao; Chen, Chiehfeng; Kuo, Ken N; Yang, Chun-Yuh; Lo, Heng-Lien; Chen, Kee-Hsin; Chiu, Ya-Wen
Background Although evidence-based practice (EBP) has been widely investigated, few studies have investigated its correlation with a clinical nursing ladder system. The current national study evaluates whether EBP implementation has been incorporated into the clinical ladder system. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted nationwide of registered nurses among regional hospitals of Taiwan in January to April 2011. Subjects were categorized into beginning nurses (N1 and N2) and advanced nurses (N3 and N4) by the clinical ladder system. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust for possible confounding demographic factors. Results Valid postal questionnaires were collected from 4,206 nurses, including 2,028 N1, 1,595 N2, 412 N3, and 171 N4 nurses. Advanced nurses were more aware of EBP than beginning nurses (p < 0.001; 90.7% vs. 78.0%). In addition, advanced nurses were more likely to hold positive beliefs about and attitudes toward EBP (p < 0.001) and possessed more sufficient knowledge of and skills in EBP (p < 0.001). Furthermore, they more often implemented EBP principles (p < 0.001) and accessed online evidence-based retrieval databases (p < 0.001). The most common motivation for using online databases was self-learning for advanced nurses and positional promotion for beginning nurses. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed advanced nurses were more aware of EBP, had higher knowledge and skills of EBP, and more often implemented EBP than beginning nurses. Linking Evidence to Action The awareness of, beliefs in, attitudes toward, knowledge of, skills in, and behaviors of EBP among advanced nurses were better than those among beginning nurses. The data indicate that a clinical ladder system can serve as a useful means to enhance EBP implementation. PMID:25588625
Developing Memory Clinics in Primary Care: An Evidence-Based Interprofessional Program of Continuing Professional Development
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lee, Linda; Weston, W. Wayne; Hillier, Loretta M.
Introduction: Primary care is challenged to meet the needs of patients with dementia. A training program was developed to increase capacity for dementia care through the development of Family Health Team (FHT)-based interprofessional memory clinics. The interprofessional training program consisted of a 2-day workshop, 1-day observership, and 2-day…
Review: Evidence-based Clinical Research of Anti-obesity Supplements in Japan
Yasueda, Asuka; Ito, Toshinori; Maeda, Kazuhisa
Background: The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically throughout the world, and weight reduction through lifestyle management is urgently warranted. At present, numerous supplements advertised for their anti-overweight property are available in the Japanese market, but most of these lack proper evidence. Thus, we investigated dietary supplements that have been tested in clinical trials. Search Strategy: We researched anti-obesity supplements in the Japanese market using the google search engine in Japanese with the key terms "anti-obesity supplements," "diet supplements," and "weight reduction supplements." Results: We listed 49 companies that supply anti-obesity supplements. Of these, 11 had published clinical evidence of the anti-obesity efficacy of their supplements. These products contain the following active ingredients: Angelica keiskei, bofu-tsusho-san, capsaishin, DHA/EPA, forskohlii, garcinia cambogia, lactoferrin, L-carnitine, oligonol, tea catechin, and yeast hydrolysate. Conclusion: We obtained 11 supplements for which clinical evidence was published in medical journals in English. We also found 10 products for which clinical or animal evidence was published in Japanese. We expect that many companies will produce evidence of the efficacy of their products in the near future, thereby validating the use of dietary anti-obesity supplements in Japan. PMID:26005506
Evidence-Based Decision about Test Scoring Rules in Clinical Anatomy Multiple-Choice Examinations
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Severo, Milton; Gaio, A. Rita; Povo, Ana; Silva-Pereira, Fernanda; Ferreira, Maria Amélia
In theory the formula scoring methods increase the reliability of multiple-choice tests in comparison with number-right scoring. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the formula scoring method in clinical anatomy multiple-choice examinations, and to compare it with that from the number-right scoring method, hoping to achieve an…
[Personalised pharmacogenetics. Evidence-based guidelines and clinical application of pharmacogenetic diagnostics].
Stingl, J C; Brockmöller, J
The broad clinical application of pharmacogenetic diagnostics for individualised drug treatment is still limited. With the exception of oncological therapies where molecular tumor makers are frequently used to decide upon individual drug therapies, pharmacogenetic testing is not generally offered in clinical laboratory diagnostics, because the costs are not covered by general health insurance and it is not evident what consequences the results of a genotyping test may have for the individual drug treatment. Especially in the context of pharmacokinetics, bioequivalence-based concepts have been developed that allow the individual drug dosage or therapy to be adjusted to genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolism, drug transport that affect drug absorption, metabolism and elimination. Pharmacogenetic aspects are increasingly included in the product information (e.g., on its website the FDA lists more than 60 drug labels that include pharmacogenetic information). However, most pharmacogenetic information on drug labels does not give recommendations for clinical decisions to be made based on individual genotypes. This gap is currently being closed by the development of international consortia aiming to base clinical recommendations on the best available evidence by systematic review of the existing data. The Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium of the Pharmacogenomics Research Network (CPIC) is an international community-driven organisation that is developing peer-reviewed, freely available gene/drug guidelines that are published in full at PharmGKB (http://www.pharmgkb.org). The aim of these guidelines is to give therapeutic recommendations such as dose adjustments or suggestions for the choice of an alternative drug in the case of specific genotypes (phenotypes) that predict slow metabolism or transport of drugs or safety risks or risks of therapeutic failure. These guidelines are not mandatory but serve to facilitate the translation of pharmacogenetic
Complex trauma in children and adolescents: evidence-based practice in clinical settings.
Lawson, David M; Quinn, Jamie
Complex trauma (CT) results from exposure to severe stressors that occur within the caregiver system or with another presumably responsible adult, are repetitive, and begin in childhood or adolescence. As a result, many of these children and adolescents experience lifelong difficulties related to self-regulation, relationships, psychological symptoms, alterations in attention and consciousness, self-injury, identity, and cognitive distortions. The aims of this article include the following: (a) to examine several representative approaches identified as treatments for children and adolescents exposed to CT with respect to similarities and differences; (b) to examine representative evidence of model effectiveness; (c) to discuss how these approaches are and/or could be implemented in clinical practice; and (d) to suggest research designs that would facilitate greater translation of effective treatment into clinical settings. PMID:23564579
Azelaic Acid: Evidence-based Update on Mechanism of Action and Clinical Application.
Schulte, Brian C; Wu, Wesley; Rosen, Ted
Azelaic acid is a complex molecule with many diverse activities. The latter include anti-infective and anti-inflammatory action. The agent also inhibits follicular keratinization and epidermal melanogenesis. Due to the wide variety of biological activities, azelaic acid has been utilized as a management tool in a broad spectrum of disease states and cutaneous disorders. This paper reviews the clinical utility of azelaic acid, noting the quality of the evidence supporting each potential use. PMID:26355614
In search of evidence-based treatment for concussion: characteristics of current clinical trials
Burke, Matthew J.; Fralick, Michael; Nejatbakhsh, Nasrin; Tartaglia, Maria C.; Tator, Charles H.
Abstract Objective: To assess the characteristics of current clinical trials investigating the treatment of concussion. Background: Recent systematic literature reviews have concluded that there is minimal evidence to support any specific treatment for concussion, including the principles of return-to-activity protocols such as type or duration of rest. Design/methods: Clinical trial data was extracted from Clinicaltrials.gov and seven additional World Health Organization primary registries. The trial databases were accessed up until 3 October 2013. This study used search terms of 'concussion' or 'mild traumatic brain injury' (mTBI) and filtered for interventional trials. Trials that were terminated, already published or not interventional trials of concussion/mTBI were excluded. Results: Of the 142 concussion/mTBI interventional clinical trials identified, 71 met inclusion criteria. Trials had a median estimated enrolment of 60 participants. There was a wide-range of treatments studied, including cognitive/behavioural therapies (28.2%), medications (28.2%), devices (11.3%), dietary supplements (8.5%), return-to-activity/rest (1.4%) and others (22.4%). Heterogeneity among trials for concussion identification/diagnosis and primary outcomes utilized was evident. Symptom-based questionnaires (39.4%) and neuropsychological tests (28.2%) were the most common outcome measures. Conclusions: Diverse, potentially promising therapeutics are currently being studied for the treatment of concussion. However, several deficiencies were identified including a paucity of trials addressing return-to-activity principles. Also, small sample size and trial heterogeneity may threaten scientific evaluation and subsequent clinical application. PMID:25383510
Expanding the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (Ex-GRADE) for Evidence-Based Clinical Recommendations: Validation Study
Phi, Linda; Ajaj, Reem; Ramchandani, Manisha H; Brant, Xenia MC; Oluwadara, Oluwadayo; Polinovsky, Olga; Moradi, David; Barkhordarian, Andre; Sriphanlop, Pathu; Ong, Margaret; Giroux, Amy; Lee, Justin; Siddiqui, Muniza; Ghodousi, Nora; Chiappelli, Francesco
Clinicians use general practice guidelines as a source of support for their intervention, but how much confidence should they place on these recommendations? How much confidence should patients place on these recommendations? Various instruments are available to assess the quality of evidence of research, such as the revised Wong scale (R-Wong) which examines the quality of research design, methodology and data analysis, and the revision of the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (R-AMSTAR), which examines the quality of systematic reviews. The Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group developed an instrument called the GRADE system in order to grade the quality of the evidence in studies and to evaluate the strength of recommendation of the intervention that is proposed in the published article. The GRADE looks at four factors to determine the quality of the evidence: study design, study quality, consistency, and directness. After combining the four components and assessing the grade of the evidence, the strength of recommendation of the intervention is established. The GRADE, however, only makes a qualitative assessment of the evidence and does not generate quantifiable data. In this study, we have quantified both the grading of the quality of evidence and also the strength of recommendation of the original GRADE, hence expanding the GRADE. This expansion of the GRADE (Ex-GRADE) permits the creation of a new instrument that can produce tangible data and possibly bridge the gap between evidence-based research and evidence-based clinical practice. PMID:22303416
Evidence-Based Approach to Fiber Supplements and Clinically Meaningful Health Benefits, Part 1
McRorie, Johnson W.
Dietary fiber that is intrinsic and intact in fiber-rich foods (eg, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains) is widely recognized to have beneficial effects on health when consumed at recommended levels (25 g/d for adult women, 38 g/d for adult men). Most (90%) of the US population does not consume this level of dietary fiber, averaging only 15 g/d. In an attempt to bridge this "fiber gap," many consumers are turning to fiber supplements, which are typically isolated from a single source. Fiber supplements cannot be presumed to provide the health benefits that are associated with dietary fiber from whole foods. Of the fiber supplements on the market today, only a minority possess the physical characteristics that underlie the mechanisms driving clinically meaningful health benefits. The first part (current issue) of this 2-part series will focus on the 4 main characteristics of fiber supplements that drive clinical efficacy (solubility, degree/rate of fermentation, viscosity, and gel formation), the 4 clinically meaningful designations that identify which health benefits are associated with specific fibers, and the gel-dependent mechanisms in the small bowel that drive specific health benefits (eg, cholesterol lowering, improved glycemic control). The second part (next issue) of this 2-part series will focus on the effects of fiber supplements in the large bowel, including the 2 mechanisms by which fiber prevents/relieves constipation (insoluble mechanical irritant and soluble gel-dependent water-holding capacity), the gel-dependent mechanism for attenuating diarrhea and normalizing stool form in irritable bowel syndrome, and the combined large bowel/small bowel fiber effects for weight loss/maintenance. The second part will also discuss how processing for marketed products can attenuate efficacy, why fiber supplements can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, and how to avoid symptoms for better long-term compliance. PMID:25972618
Evidence-Based Approach to Fiber Supplements and Clinically Meaningful Health Benefits, Part 2
McRorie, Johnson W.
Dietary fiber that is intrinsic and intact in fiber-rich foods (eg, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains) is widely recognized to have beneficial effects on health when consumed at recommended levels (25 g/d for adult women, 38 g/d for adult men). Most (90%) of the US population does not consume this level of dietary fiber, averaging only 15 g/d. In an attempt to bridge this "fiber gap," many consumers are turning to fiber supplements, which are typically isolated from a single source. Fiber supplements cannot be presumed to provide the health benefits that are associated with dietary fiber from whole foods. Of the fiber supplements on the market today, only a minority possess the physical characteristics that underlie the mechanisms driving clinically meaningful health benefits. In this 2-part series, the first part (previous issue) described the 4 main characteristics of fiber supplements that drive clinical efficacy (solubility, degree/rate of fermentation, viscosity, and gel formation), the 4 clinically meaningful designations that identify which health benefits are associated with specific fibers, and the gel-dependent mechanisms in the small bowel that drive specific health benefits (eg, cholesterol lowering, improved glycemic control). The second part (current issue) of this 2-part series will focus on the effects of fiber supplements in the large bowel, including the 2 mechanisms by which fiber prevents/relieves constipation (insoluble mechanical irritant and soluble gel-dependent water-holding capacity), the gel-dependent mechanism for attenuating diarrhea and normalizing stool form in irritable bowel syndrome, and the combined large bowel/small bowel fiber effects for weight loss/maintenance. The second part will also discuss how processing for marketed products can attenuate efficacy, why fiber supplements can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, and how to avoid symptoms for better long-term compliance. PMID:25972619
Development of an Evidence-Based Clinical Algorithm for Practice in Hypotonia Assessment: A Proposal
Background Assessing muscle tone in children is essential during the neurological assessment and is often essential in ensuring a more accurate diagnosis for appropriate management. While there have been advances in child neurology, there remains much contention around the subjectivity of the clinical assessment of hypotonia, which is often the first step in the diagnostic process. Objective In response to this challenge, the objective of the study is to develop and validate a prototype of a decision making process in the form of a clinical algorithm that will guide clinicians during this assessment process. Methods Design research within a pragmatic stance will be employed in this study. Multi-phase stages of assessment, prototyping and evaluation will occur. These will include processes that include a systematic review, processes of reflection and action as well as validation methods. Given the mixed methods nature of this study, use of NVIVO or ATLAS-ti will be used in the analysis of qualitative data and SPSS for quantitative data. Results Initial results from the systematic review revealed a paucity of scientific literature that documented the objective assessment of hypotonia in children. The review identified the need for more studies with greater methodological rigor in order to determine best practice with respect to the methods used in the assessment of low muscle tone in the paediatric population. Conclusions It is envisaged that this proposal will contribute to a more accurate clinical diagnosis of children with low muscle tone in the absence of a gold standard. We anticipate that the use of this tool will ultimately assist clinicians towards moving to evidenced based practice whilst upholding best practice in the care of children with hypotonia. PMID:25485571
Thrombin use in surgery: an evidence-based review of its clinical use
Ham, Sung W; Lew, Wesley K; Weaver, Fred A
When surgical ligation of bleeding fails, or is not possible, surgeons rely on a number of hemostatic aids, including thrombin. This review discusses the history, pharmacology and clinical application of thrombin as a surgical hemostat. The initial thrombin was bovine in origin, but its use has been complicated by the formation of antibodies that cross-react with human coagulation factors. This has been associated with life-threatening bleeding and in some circumstances anaphylaxis and death. Human thrombin, isolated from pooled plasma of donors, was developed in an effort to minimize these risks, but its downsides are its limited availability and the potential for transmitting blood-borne pathogens. Recently a recombinant thrombin has been developed, and approved for use by the FDA. It has the advantage of being minimally antigenic and devoid of the risk of viral transmission. Thrombin is often used in conjunction with other hemostatic aids, including absorbable agents such as Gelfoam, and with fibrinogen in fibrin glues. The last part of this review will discuss these agents in detail, and review their clinical applications. PMID:22282693
Vemurafenib: an evidence-based review of its clinical utility in the treatment of metastatic melanoma
Swaika, Abhisek; Crozier, Jennifer A; Joseph, Richard W
The discovery of BRAF mutations in the majority of patients with metastatic melanoma combined with the identification of highly selective BRAF inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma. The first highly specific BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, began clinical testing in 2008 and moved towards a rapid approval in 2011. Vemurafenib induced responses in ~50% of patients with metastatic BRAF-mutant melanoma and demonstrated improved overall survival in a randomized Phase III trial. Furthermore, vemurafenib is well-tolerated with a low toxicity profile and rapid onset of action. Finally, vemurafenib is active even in patients with widely metastatic disease. Despite the success of vemurafenib in treating patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma, most, if not all, patients ultimately develop resistance resulting in disease progression at a median time of ~6 months. Multiple mechanisms of resistance have been described and rationale strategies are underway to combat resistance. This review highlights the development, clinical utility, resistance mechanisms, and future use of vemurafenib both in melanoma and other malignancies. We consulted PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, ASCO annual symposium abstracts, and http://clinicaltrials.gov/ for the purpose of this review. PMID:24966667
Exploring use of images in clinical articles for decision support in evidence-based medicine
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Antani, Sameer; Demner-Fushman, Dina; Li, Jiang; Srinivasan, Balaji V.; Thoma, George R.
Essential information is often conveyed pictorially (images, illustrations, graphs, charts, etc.) in biomedical publications. A clinician's decision to access the full text when searching for evidence in support of clinical decision is frequently based solely on a short bibliographic reference. We seek to automatically augment these references with images from the article that may assist in finding evidence. In a previous study, the feasibility of automatically classifying images by usefulness (utility) in finding evidence was explored using supervised machine learning and achieved 84.3% accuracy using image captions for modality and 76.6% accuracy combining captions and image data for utility on 743 images from articles over 2 years from a clinical journal. Our results indicated that automatic augmentation of bibliographic references with relevant images was feasible. Other research in this area has determined improved user experience by showing images in addition to the short bibliographic reference. Multi-panel images used in our study had to be manually pre-processed for image analysis, however. Additionally, all image-text on figures was ignored. In this article, we report on developed methods for automatic multi-panel image segmentation using not only image features, but also clues from text analysis applied to figure captions. In initial experiments on 516 figure images we obtained 95.54% accuracy in correctly identifying and segmenting the sub-images. The errors were flagged as disagreements with automatic parsing of figure caption text allowing for supervised segmentation. For localizing text and symbols, on a randomly selected test set of 100 single panel images our methods reported, on the average, precision and recall of 78.42% and 89.38%, respectively, with an accuracy of 72.02%.
Policies and Procedures That Facilitate Implementation of Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines in U.S. Dental Schools.
Polk, Deborah E; Nolan, Beth A D; Shah, Nilesh H; Weyant, Robert J
The aim of this study was to determine the degree to which dental schools in the United States have policies and procedures in place that facilitate the implementation of evidence-based clinical guidelines. The authors sent surveys to all 65 U.S. dental schools in 2014; responses were obtained from 38 (58%). The results showed that, of the nine policies and procedures examined, only two were fully implemented by 50% or more of the responding schools: guidelines supported through clinical faculty education or available chairside (50%), and students informed of guidelines in both the classroom and clinic (65.8%). Although 92% of the respondents reported having an electronic health record, 80% of those were not using it to track compliance with guidelines. Five schools reported implementing more policies than the rest of the schools. The study found that the approach to implementing guidelines at most of the responding schools did not follow best practices although five schools had an exemplary set of policies and procedures to support guideline implementation. These results suggest that most dental schools are currently not implementing guidelines effectively and efficiently, but that the goal of schools' having a comprehensive implementation program for clinical guidelines is achievable since some are doing so. Future studies should determine whether interventions to improve implementation in dental schools are needed. PMID:26729681
Enhanced Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines in Hong Kong: A Study Protocol for Three Common Diseases
Shi, Nannan; Zhong, Linda L. D.; Han, XueJie; Ng, Bacon; Bian, Zhaoxiang; Lu, Aiping
We presented a study protocol of developing Chinese medicine clinical practice guidelines for three common diseases in Hong Kong, including insomnia, chronic gastritis, and cerebral infarction. This research project will be conducted in three phases. First phase is the preparation stage which consists of the establishment of steering committee and panel. Second phase involves 6 steps, which are searching and identifying evidence, text mining process, Delphi survey, synthesizing of data, consensus conference, and drafting guidelines. In this phase, text mining technique, evidence-based method, and formal consensus method are combined to get consolidated supporting data as the source of CM CPGs. The final phase comprised external reviews, dissemination, and updating. The outputs from this project will provide three CM CPGs for insomnia, chronic gastritis, and cerebral infarction for Hong Kong local use. PMID:25815035
Treatmnent Patterns for Pediatric Acute CHUs Media: A Gap in Evidence-Based Theory and Clinical Practice.
Boatright, Courtney; Holcomb, Lygia; Replogle, William
Unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics is costly, leads to serious unintended side effects, and increases the risk of developing antibiotic resistance. Children are at high risk of receiving unnecessary antibiotics because they consume more antibiotics than any other age group, likely due to inaccurate prescribing by health care providers. Treatment of acute otitis media is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. Evidence-based guidelines regarding the appropriate treatment of nonsevere acute otitis media in children have been established. A retrospective, descriptive, chart review project was completed comparing the diagnosis and treatment of acute otitis media in children six months to 12 years of age in clinics and the emergency department of a large academic medical center with the American Academy of Pediatrics' treatment guidelines. Findings of the chart review included 100 patient encounters. Documentation indicated that although none of these children with acute otitis media met the guideline criteria for antibiotics, 92 of the 100 children were prescribed antibiotics. PMID:26837096
Clinical insights into the diagnosis and management of renovascular disease. An evidence-based review.
Bloch, M J; Basile, J
Renovascular disease is a common, but complex disorder, the most common causes of which are fibromuscular dysplasia and atherosclerosis. It usually presents in 1 of 3 forms: asymptomatic renal artery stenosis, renovascular hypertension, or ischemic nephropathy. The clinical index of suspicion remains paramount in developing an appropriate diagnostic strategy. Although subject to certain limitations, conventional contrast angiography is usually considered the gold standard in confirming the diagnosis. In addition, there are a number of available non-invasive tests that can aid in decision-making. These tests can be divided into those that detect the anatomic presence of a stenosis and those that identify the functional consequences of the renal artery obstruction. No one study is appropriate for every patient. Treatment options include medical, surgical or percutaneous approaches. Generally, in patients with fibromuscular disease the results of surgery and percutaneous approaches appear superior. In patients with atherosclerotic disease, the data are less consistent, and there does appear to be a group of patients who will respond well to medical management. Potential diagnostic algorithms for diagnosis and treatment are presented in this review. PMID:15467512
Clinical utility of treprostinil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: an evidence-based review
Buckley, Mitchell S; Berry, Andrew J; Kazem, Nadine H; Patel, Shardool A; Librodo, Paul A
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a progressive disease without a cure, despite the development of several treatment options over the past several decades. Its management strategy consists of the endothelin receptor antagonists (ambrisentan, bosentan, macitentan), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil), and prostacyclin analogs (epoprostenol, treprostinil, iloprost). Treprostinil, a stable prostacyclin analog, displays vasodilatory effects in the pulmonary vasculature, as well as antiplatelet aggregation properties. Clinical practice guidelines recommend oral endothelin receptor antagonist or phosphodiesterase inhibitor therapy in mild to moderate PAH. Epoprostenol is specifically suggested as first-line therapy in moderate to severe PAH patients (ie, World Health Organization/New York Heart Association functional class III–IV). However, treprostinil may be an alternative option in these severe PAH patients. The longer half-life and stability at room temperature with treprostinil may be associated with lower risk of pulmonary hemodynamic worsening as a result of abrupt infusion discontinuation and less frequent drug preparation. These characteristics make treprostinil an attractive alternative to continuous infusion of epoprostenol, due to convenience and patient safety. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous infusion of treprostinil as well as the inhaled and oral routes of administration in PAH. PMID:25018685
Clinical utility of treprostinil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension: an evidence-based review.
Buckley, Mitchell S; Berry, Andrew J; Kazem, Nadine H; Patel, Shardool A; Librodo, Paul A
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a progressive disease without a cure, despite the development of several treatment options over the past several decades. Its management strategy consists of the endothelin receptor antagonists (ambrisentan, bosentan, macitentan), phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil), and prostacyclin analogs (epoprostenol, treprostinil, iloprost). Treprostinil, a stable prostacyclin analog, displays vasodilatory effects in the pulmonary vasculature, as well as antiplatelet aggregation properties. Clinical practice guidelines recommend oral endothelin receptor antagonist or phosphodiesterase inhibitor therapy in mild to moderate PAH. Epoprostenol is specifically suggested as first-line therapy in moderate to severe PAH patients (ie, World Health Organization/New York Heart Association functional class III-IV). However, treprostinil may be an alternative option in these severe PAH patients. The longer half-life and stability at room temperature with treprostinil may be associated with lower risk of pulmonary hemodynamic worsening as a result of abrupt infusion discontinuation and less frequent drug preparation. These characteristics make treprostinil an attractive alternative to continuous infusion of epoprostenol, due to convenience and patient safety. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous infusion of treprostinil as well as the inhaled and oral routes of administration in PAH. PMID:25018685
Steroid injections in the upper extremity: experienced clinical opinion versus evidence-based practices.
Kegel, Gary; Marshall, Astrid; Barron, O Alton; Catalano, Louis W; Glickel, Steven Z; Kuhn, Margaret
A survey regarding upper-extremity steroid injection practices was distributed to all active members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) using SurveyMonkey. Response rates for the ASSH and ASES were 26% and 24%, respectively. The potency-adjusted dose of steroid injected for common hand and wrist injections ranged from 0.375 to 133.33 mg and for shoulder injections ranged from 0.375 to 250 mg. These ranges span 356-fold and 667-fold differences, respectively. Potency-adjusted doses differed significantly between steroid types for all injections evaluated in this study. American Society for Surgery of the Hand members gave significantly smaller doses of steroid for the glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joints than ASES members. Only 9% of respondents based injection practice on a scientific reference. Sixteen percent of ASSH and 31% of ASES respondents reported no specific rationale for their steroid injection practice; 78% of ASSH and 52% of ASES respondents attributed their rationale to some kind of instruction from their mentors or colleagues. Upper-extremity surgeons demonstrate substantial variability in their practice of steroid injections, with up to a 667-fold range in steroid dose. Experienced clinical opinion is the principal rationale for these injection practices; little rationale is based on formal scientific evidence. PMID:24025004
Evidence-Based Clinical Use of Nanoscale Extracellular Vesicles in Nanomedicine.
Fais, Stefano; O'Driscoll, Lorraine; Borras, Francesc E; Buzas, Edit; Camussi, Giovanni; Cappello, Francesco; Carvalho, Joana; Cordeiro da Silva, Anabela; Del Portillo, Hernando; El Andaloussi, Samir; Ficko Trček, Tanja; Furlan, Roberto; Hendrix, An; Gursel, Ihsan; Kralj-Iglic, Veronika; Kaeffer, Bertrand; Kosanovic, Maja; Lekka, Marilena E; Lipps, Georg; Logozzi, Mariantonia; Marcilla, Antonio; Sammar, Marei; Llorente, Alicia; Nazarenko, Irina; Oliveira, Carla; Pocsfalvi, Gabriella; Rajendran, Lawrence; Raposo, Graça; Rohde, Eva; Siljander, Pia; van Niel, Guillaume; Vasconcelos, M Helena; Yáñez-Mó, María; Yliperttula, Marjo L; Zarovni, Natasa; Zavec, Apolonija Bedina; Giebel, Bernd
Recent research has demonstrated that all body fluids assessed contain substantial amounts of vesicles that range in size from 30 to 1000 nm and that are surrounded by phospholipid membranes containing different membrane microdomains such as lipid rafts and caveolae. The most prominent representatives of these so-called extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized exosomes (70-150 nm), which are derivatives of the endosomal system, and microvesicles (100-1000 nm), which are produced by outward budding of the plasma membrane. Nanosized EVs are released by almost all cell types and mediate targeted intercellular communication under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Containing cell-type-specific signatures, EVs have been proposed as biomarkers in a variety of diseases. Furthermore, according to their physical functions, EVs of selected cell types have been used as therapeutic agents in immune therapy, vaccination trials, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Undoubtedly, the rapidly emerging field of basic and applied EV research will significantly influence the biomedicinal landscape in the future. In this Perspective, we, a network of European scientists from clinical, academic, and industry settings collaborating through the H2020 European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program European Network on Microvesicles and Exosomes in Health and Disease (ME-HAD), demonstrate the high potential of nanosized EVs for both diagnostic and therapeutic (i.e., theranostic) areas of nanomedicine. PMID:26978483
Hepatocellular carcinoma: From clinical practice to evidence-based treatment protocols
Galun, Danijel; Basaric, Dragan; Zuvela, Marinko; Bulajic, Predrag; Bogdanovic, Aleksandar; Bidzic, Nemanja; Milicevic, Miroslav
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the major malignant diseases in many healthcare systems. The growing number of new cases diagnosed each year is nearly equal to the number of deaths from this cancer. Worldwide, HCC is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, as it is the fifth most common cancer and the third most important cause of cancer related death in men. Among various risk factors the two are prevailing: viral hepatitis, namely chronic hepatitis C virus is a well-established risk factor contributing to the rising incidence of HCC. The epidemic of obesity and the metabolic syndrome, not only in the United States but also in Asia, tend to become the leading cause of the long-term rise in the HCC incidence. Today, the diagnosis of HCC is established within the national surveillance programs in developed countries while the diagnosis of symptomatic, advanced stage disease still remains the characteristic of underdeveloped countries. Although many different staging systems have been developed and evaluated the Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer staging system has emerged as the most useful to guide HCC treatment. Treatment allocation should be decided by a multidisciplinary board involving hepatologists, pathologists, radiologists, liver surgeons and oncologists guided by personalized -based medicine. This approach is important not only to balance between different oncologic treatments strategies but also due to the complexity of the disease (chronic liver disease and the cancer) and due to the large number of potentially efficient therapies. Careful patient selection and a tailored treatment modality for every patient, either potentially curative (surgical treatment and tumor ablation) or palliative (transarterial therapy, radioembolization and medical treatment, i.e., sorafenib) is mandatory to achieve the best treatment outcome. PMID:26380652
Intentional burn injury: an evidence-based, clinical and forensic review.
Greenbaum, Adam R; Donne, Jeremy; Wilson, Diana; Dunn, Kenneth W
Burn injury can be inflicted intentionally either by one person to another whenever one has the ability to physically control the other, or it can be self-inflicted. There is scant evidential basis for much that is written about and practiced in the evaluation and care of patients that have sustained intentional burn injuries. Yet this is an area in which medical personnel must necessarily be trained in both the therapeutic and forensic aspects of a complex problem. Failure to appreciate the complexity of medical and forensic interactions may have far reaching effects. A missed diagnosis can result in inappropriate medical care, on-going abuse and future fatality. Inept management can result on the one hand, in blame levelled inappropriately placing incomparable strain on family units and innocent parties, and on the other, allow abusers to continue unchecked. This is the first review on the subject in which lawyers and doctors collaborate to produce a holistic approach to this subject. In it we describe the legal considerations that medical staff must appreciate when approaching patients who may have suffered intentional burns. We analyse the various scenarios in which intentional burning can be found and challenge the clinical dogma with much of the management of paediatric inflicted burns has become imbued. We suggest a rational and balanced approach to all intentional burn injuries-especially when children are involved. In the light of current case law in which dogmatic medical evidence has been implicated in wrongful convictions for child abuse in the UK, it is imperative that medical professionals gather evidence carefully and completely and apply it with logic and impartiality. This paper will aid clinicians who may not be experienced in dealing with burn injuries, but find themselves in the position of seeing a burn acutely, to avoid common mistakes. PMID:15475134
Vestibular Rehabilitation for Peripheral Vestibular Hypofunction: An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline
Herdman, Susan J.; Whitney, Susan L.; Cass, Stephen P.; Clendaniel, Richard A.; Fife, Terry D.; Furman, Joseph M.; Getchius, Thomas S. D.; Goebel, Joel A.; Shepard, Neil T.; Woodhouse, Sheelah N.
Background: Uncompensated vestibular hypofunction results in postural instability, visual blurring with head movement, and subjective complaints of dizziness and/or imbalance. We sought to answer the question, "Is vestibular exercise effective at enhancing recovery of function in people with peripheral (unilateral or bilateral) vestibular hypofunction?" Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed in 5 databases published after 1985 and 5 additional sources for relevant publications were searched. Article types included meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case control series, and case series for human subjects, published in English. One hundred thirty-five articles were identified as relevant to this clinical practice guideline. Results/Discussion: Based on strong evidence and a preponderance of benefit over harm, clinicians should offer vestibular rehabilitation to persons with unilateral and bilateral vestibular hypofunction with impairments and functional limitations related to the vestibular deficit. Based on strong evidence and a preponderance of harm over benefit, clinicians should not include voluntary saccadic or smooth-pursuit eye movements in isolation (ie, without head movement) as specific exercises for gaze stability. Based on moderate evidence, clinicians may offer specific exercise techniques to target identified impairments or functional limitations. Based on moderate evidence and in consideration of patient preference, clinicians may provide supervised vestibular rehabilitation. Based on expert opinion extrapolated from the evidence, clinicians may prescribe a minimum of 3 times per day for the performance of gaze stability exercises as 1 component of a home exercise program. Based on expert opinion extrapolated from the evidence (range of supervised visits: 2-38 weeks, mean = 10 weeks), clinicians may consider providing adequate supervised vestibular rehabilitation sessions for the
Design of a Medical Triage Evidence-Based Clinical Management Protocol and Implementation of Medical Triage On-Line Training for Use by Mission of Mercy Volunteers.
Allen, Kimberly D; DiBartolo, Mary C; Welsh, Debra L; Brown, Voncelia
Evidence-based protocols in safety net settings can help standardize care practices, increase organizational workflow, and enhance quality outcomes for those receiving services. The purpose of this quality improvement project is two-fold: to design an evidence-based medical triage clinical management protocol, and, to influence adherence to that protocol by safety net medical triage volunteers through an on-line volunteer orientation. Leadership skills were required to help translate evidence-based practice recommendations into useful tools to assist in directing practice. Project outcomes included successful multidisciplinary practice change, significantly improved volunteer knowledge surrounding medical triage protocol parameters, increased organizational workflow, and enhanced quality client outcomes. PMID:26529107
Evidence based public health: A review of the experience of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) of developing public health guidance in England.
Kelly, Michael; Morgan, Antony; Ellis, Simon; Younger, Tricia; Huntley, Jane; Swann, Catherine
This paper describes the application of the principles of evidence based medicine to public health. It recounts the experience of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in England (NICE) which acquired a remit to develop public health guidance in 2005. Some of the history of the origins of the evidence based approach is described in the writings of Cochrane and others, and the way that this came to be a critical part of the NICE approach to developing clinical cost effectiveness is outlined. The challenge of applying these methods to an evidence base which is social and psychological as well as biomedical is considered. Key problems are identified: the breadth of the evidence base, different analytic levels of explanation, and the length of the causal chain between interventions and outcomes in public health. PMID:20678836
Refining the Journal Club Presentations of Postgraduate Students in Seven Clinical Departments for Better Evidence-based Practice
Herur, A; Kolagi, S; Ramadurg, U; Hiremath, CS; Hadimani, CP; Goudar, SS
Background: A gap between best practice and actual clinical care exists and this can be overcome by evidence-based practice (EBP), which is essential to improve the clinical decision making. A strategy to reduce deficits in care provision is to train the postgraduate students in the practice of EBP in the journal clubs as evidence from medical colleges in India reveals that current format of journal club presentations is unsatisfactory. Aim: The aim of the present study was to refine the journal club presentations of postgraduate students of clinical departments and to study the effectiveness of EBP training in them for better EBP. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted in S. Nijalingappa Medical College, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India, and it was a pre- and post-trial. This study was a pre- and post-trial done during the journal club presentations of postgraduate students from clinical departments. Postgraduate students' understanding of concepts about EBP was assessed using Fresno test questionnaire in traditional journal club presentation. A hands-on session incorporating steps of EBP was imparted to them. Soon after the session, each student was assessed. In the next journal club presentation, 1 week later, the students were assessed again with the same questionnaire by the same faculty. Scores of the postgraduate students, before and after intervention (immediate and 1 week later), were compared. Data were analyzed by paired t-test using SPSS. Results: An increase in mean posttest scores was seen immediately and also 1 week later as compared to the pretest scores. The scores also increased significantly, when each step of EBP was considered. Conclusions: Incorporating teaching of EBP in journal club presentations improved the competencies of postgraduate students in clinical decision making. PMID:27398252
A Clinically Integrated Post-Graduate Training Programme in Evidence-Based Medicine versus 'No Intervention' for Improving Disability Evaluations: A Cluster Randomised Clinical Trial
Kok, Rob; Hoving, Jan L.; Smits, Paul B. A.; Ketelaar, Sarah M.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.; Verbeek, Jos H.
Background Although several studies have shown that teaching EBM is effective in improving knowledge, at present, there is no convincing evidence that teaching EBM also changes professional behaviour in practice. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a clinically integrated post-graduate training programme in EBM on evidence-based disability evaluation. Methods and Findings In a cluster randomised controlled trial, fifty-four case-based learning groups consisting of 132 physicians and 1680 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. A clinically integrated, post-graduate, 5-day training programme in evidence-based medicine, consisting of (home) assignments, peer teaching, interactive training in searching databases, lectures and brainstorming sessions was provided to the intervention group. The control group received no training. The primary outcome was evidence-based disability evaluation, as indicated by the frequency in use of evidence of sufficient quality in disability evaluation reports. There are no general EBM behaviour outcome measures available. Therefore, we followed general guidelines for constructing performance indicators and defined an a priori cut-off for determination of sufficient quality as recommended for evaluating EB training. Physicians trained in EBM performed more evidence-based disability evaluations compared to physicians in the control group (difference in absolute proportion 9.7%, 95% CI 3.5 to 15.9). The primary outcome differences between groups remained significant after both cluster-adjusted analysis and additional sensitivity analyses accounting for subjects lost to follow-up. Conclusions A EBM programme successfully improved the use of evidence in a non-hospital based medical specialty. Our findings support the general recommendations to use multiple educational methods to change physician behaviour. In addition, it appeared important that the professional context
Attitudes toward evidence-based clinical practice among doctors of chiropractic with diplomate-level training in orthopedics
Background Evidence-based clinical practice (EBCP) is a practice model gaining prominence within healthcare, including the chiropractic profession. The status of EBCP has been evaluated in a variety of healthcare disciplines, but little is known regarding the attitudes doctors of chiropractic (DCs) hold toward this model of healthcare. This project examines the attitudes toward EBCP within a specialty discipline of DCs. Methods We identified a survey questionnaire previously used to evaluate EBCP among non-chiropractic complementary and alternative practitioners. We adapted this questionnaire for use among DCs and pretested it in 5 chiropractic college faculty. The final version was administered to DCs with diplomate-level training in orthopedics. The survey was emailed to 299 potential participants; descriptive results were calculated. Results 144 surveys were returned, resulting in a 48% response rate. The majority of respondents perceived EBCP as an important aspect of chiropractic practice. Respondents also believed themselves to have an above average skill level in EBCP, reported that training originated from their diplomate education, and based the majority of their practice on clinical research. Conclusion Doctors of chiropractic with an orthopedic diplomate appear to have favorable attitudes toward EBCP. Further study will help understand EBCP perceptions among general field DCs. A logical next step includes validation of this questionnaire. PMID:24314309
Estimating the Likely Public Health Impact of Partner Notification for a Clinical Service: An Evidence-Based Algorithm
Aicken, Catherine R. H.; Brook, M. Gary; Estcourt, Claudia S.; Cassell, Jackie A.
Objectives. We present the first evidence-based method for estimating public health and cost impacts of partner notification (PN) that takes account of sexual partnership type. Methods. Our algorithm uses routine clinical data, probability survey data, and transmission parameters. We propose 2 new epidemiological concepts to quantify PN impact: "[the] absolute reduction in onward transmission" and its reciprocal, "[the] number needed to treat to interrupt transmission" (i.e., the number of partners who need to be treated to interrupt 1 onward transmission). We demonstrate these concepts for 273 chlamydia cases diagnosed at a UK genitourinary medicine clinic. Results. The number needed to treat to interrupt transmission (overall, for casual partners, and for regular partners, respectively) was 1.47, 1.11, and 2.50, respectively, for men younger than 25 years; 1.60, 0.83, and 1.25, respectively, for women younger than 25 years; 2.35, 1.39, and 2.08, respectively, for men older than 25 years; and 2.14, 0.93, and 2.08, respectively, for women older than 25 years. Conclusions. PN that targets casual partners, rather than regular or live-in partners, prevents more secondary transmissions per partnership; it is also more resource intensive, but the public health benefit is greater. PMID:21940925
Is the Information about a Test Important? Applying the Methods of Evidence-Based Medicine to the Clinical Examination of Swallowing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rosenbek, John C.; McCullough, Gary H.; Wertz, Robert T.
A hotly debated topic in oropharyngeal dysphagia is the Clinical Swallowing Examination's (CSE) importance in clinical practice. That debate can profit from the application of evidence-based medicine's (EBM) principles and procedures. These can guide both appropriate data collection and interpretation as will be demonstrated in the present report.…
iPadagogy 101: Using Clinical ORthopedic Exam (C.O.R.E.) to Facilitate Evidence-Based Practice in the Orthopaedic Evaluation Classroom
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hamson-Utley, J. Jordan; Stiller-Ostrowski, Jennifer L.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) and educational technology have become fundamental skills within athletic training programs. The objective of this article is to share experiences implementing clinical orthopaedic evaluation applications ("apps") that can be integrated into classroom and clinical education to enhance students' proficiency…
Improving risk assessment of violence among military Veterans: An evidence-based approach for clinical decision-making
Elbogen, Eric B.; Fuller, Sara; Johnson, Sally C.; Brooks, Stephanie; Kinneer, Patricia; Calhoun, Patrick; Beckham, Jean C.
Despite increased media attention on violent acts against others committed by military Veterans, few models have been developed to systematically guide violence risk assessment among Veterans. Ideally, a model would identify which Veterans are most at risk for violence and increased attention could then be turned to determining what could be done to prevent violent behavior. This article suggests how empirical approaches to risk assessment used successfully in civilian populations can be applied to Veterans. A review was conducted of the scientific literature on Veteran populations regarding factors related to interpersonal violence generally and to domestic violence specifically. A list was then generated of empirically-supported risk factors for clinicians to consider in practice. To conceptualize how these known risk factors relate to a Veteran's violence potential, risk assessment scholarship was utilized to develop an evidence-based method to guide mental health professionals. The goals of this approach are to integrate science into practice, overcome logistical barriers, and permit more effective assessment, monitoring, and management of violence risk for clinicians working with Veterans, both in Veteran Administration settings and in the broader community. It is likely that the use of a systematic, empirical framework could lead to improved clinical decision-making in the area of risk assessment, and help reduce violence among Veterans. PMID:20627387
A Clinical Trial of Translation of Evidence Based Interventions to Mobile Tablets and Illness Specific Internet Sites
Smith, Carol E; Piamjariyakul, Ubolrat; Werkowitch, Marilyn; Yadrich, Donna Macan; Thompson, Noreen; Hooper, Dedrick; Nelson, Eve-Lynn
This article describes a method to translate an evidence based health care intervention to the mobile environment. This translation assisted patient participants to: avoid life threatening infections; monitor emotions and fatigue; keep involved in healthy activities. The mobile technology also decreased costs by reducing for example travel to visit health care providers. Testing of this translation method and its use by comparison groups of patients adds to the knowledge base for assessing technology for its impact on health outcome measures. The challenges and workflow of designing materials for the mobile format are described. Transitioning clinical trial verified interventions, previously provided in person to patients, onto tablet and internet platforms is an important process that must be evaluated. In this study, our evidence based guide's intravenous (IV) homeCare interventions (IVhomeCare) were delivered via Apple iPad mini™ tablet audiovisual instruction / discussion sessions and on a website. Each iPad audiovisual session (n = 41), included three to five families, a mental health specialist, and healthcare professionals. Patients and their family caregivers readily learned to use the wireless mobile tablets, and the IVhomeCare interventions, as described here, were successfully translated onto these mobile technology platforms. Using Likert scale responses on a questionnaire (1 = not helpful and 5 = very helpful) participants indicated that they gained problem solving skills for home care through iPad group discussion (M = 4.60, SD = 0.60). The firewall protected videoconferencing in real time with multiple healthcare professionals effectively allowed health history taking and visual inspection of the patient's IV insertion site for signs of infection. Supportive interactions with peer families on videoconferencing were documented during discussions. Discussion topics included low moods, fatigue, infection worry, how to maintain independence, and
Do Workshops in Evidence-Based Practice Equip Participants to Identify and Answer Questions Requiring Consideration of Clinical Research? A Diagnostic Skill Assessment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wyer, Peter C,; Naqvi, Zoon; Dayan, Peter S.; Celentano, James J.; Eskin, Barnet; Graham, Mark J.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires practitioners to identify and formulate questions in response to patient encounters, and to seek, select, and appraise applicable clinical research. A standardized workshop format serves as the model for training of medical educators in these skills. We developed an evaluation exercise to assess the ability…
Clinical Decision-Making in Community Children's Mental Health: Using Innovative Methods to Compare Clinicians with and without Training in Evidence-Based Treatment
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Baker-Ericzén, Mary J.; Jenkins, Melissa M.; Park, Soojin; Garland, Ann F.
Background: Mental health professionals' decision-making practice is an area of increasing interest and importance, especially in the pediatric research and clinical communities. Objective: The present study explored the role of prior training in evidence-based treatments (EBTs) on clinicians' assessment and treatment formulations using…
Follow-up for cervical cancer: a Program in Evidence-Based Care systematic review and clinical practice guideline update
Elit, L.; Kennedy, E.B.; Fyles, A.; Metser, U.
Background In 2009, the Program in Evidence-based Care (pebc) of Cancer Care Ontario published a guideline on the follow-up of cervical cancer. In 2014, the pebc undertook an update of the systematic review and clinical practice guideline for women in this target population. Methods The literature from 2007 to August 2014 was searched using medline and embase [extended to 2000 for studies of human papillomavirus (hpv) dna testing]. Outcomes of interest were measures of survival, diagnostic accuracy, and quality of life. A working group evaluated the need for changes to the earlier guidelines and incorporated comments and feedback from internal and external reviewers. Results One systematic review and six individual studies were included. The working group concluded that the new evidence did not warrant changes to the 2009 recommendations, although hpv dna testing was added as a potentially more sensitive method of detecting recurrence in patients treated with radiotherapy. Comments from internal and external reviewers were incorporated. Recommendations Summary Follow-up care after primary treatment should be conducted and coordinated by a physician experienced in the surveillance of cancer patients. A reasonable follow-up strategy involves visits every 3–4 months within the first 2 years, and every 6–12 months during years 3–5. Visits should include a patient history and complete physical examination, with elicitation of relevant symptoms. Vaginal vault cytology examination should not be performed more frequently than annually. Combined positron-emission tomography and computed tomography, other imaging, and biomarker evaluation are not advocated; hpv dna testing could be useful as a method of detection of recurrence after radiotherapy. General recommendations for follow-up after 5 years are also provided. PMID:27122975
Evaluation of Organizational Readiness in Clinical Settings for Social Supporting Evidence-Based Information Seeking Behavior after Introducing IT in a Developing Country.
Kahouei, Mehdi; Alaei, Safollah; Panahi, Sohaila Sadat Ghazavi Shariat; Zadeh, Jamileh Mahdi
The health sector of Iran has endeavored to encourage physicians and medical students to use research findings in their practice. Remarkable changes have occurred, including: holding computer skills courses, digital library workshops for physicians and students, and establishing websites in hospitals. The findings showed that a small number of the participants completely agreed that they were supported by supervisors and colleagues to use evidence-based information resources in their clinical decisions. Health care organizations in Iran need other organizational facilitators such as social influences, organizational support, leadership, strong organizational culture, and climate in order to implement evidence-based practice. PMID:25839913
Sackett, D L
Evidence-based medicine, whose philosophical origins extend back to mid-19th century Paris and earlier, is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence-based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise we mean the proficiency and judgment that we individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice. Increased expertise is reflected in many ways, but especially in more effective and efficient diagnosis and in the more thoughtful identification and compassionate use of individual patients' predicaments, rights, and preferences in making clinical decisions about their care. By best available external clinical evidence we mean clinically relevant research, often from the basic sciences of medicine, but especially from patient centered clinical research into the accuracy and precision of diagnostic tests (including the clinical examination), the power of prognostic markers, and the efficacy and safety of therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventive regimens. External clinical evidence both invalidates previously accepted diagnostic tests and treatment and replaces them with new ones that are more powerful, more accurate, more efficacious, and safer. Good doctors use both individual clinical expertise and the best available external evidence, and neither alone is enough. Without clinical expertise, practice risks becoming tyrannized by external evidence, for even excellent external evidence may be inapplicable to or inappropriate for an individual patient. Without current best external evidence, practice risks becoming rapidly out of date, to the detriment of patients. The practice of evidence-based medicine is a process of life-long, self-directed learning in which caring for our own patients creates the need for
Characterization of cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) in eggs and larvae stages of hookworm Ancylostoma caninum.
Yang, Yurong; Qin, Weiwen; Wei, Hua; Ying, Jianxi; Zhen, Jing
Cathepsin B proteinase constitutes a large multigenes family in parasitic and non-parasitic nematodes. The localization of cathepsin B proteinases (AcCP-1 and AcCP-2) in adult worm of Ancylostoma caninum has been characterized (Harrop et al., 1995), but the localization and function in eggs and larval stages remained undiscovered. Here we described the expressing of cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) in Escherichia coli, and immuno-localization of cathepsin B proteinase in eggs and larvae stages of A. caninum. A cDNA fragment encoding a cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) was cloned from A. caninum and expressed in E. coli. Gelatin digestion showed that recombinant cathepsin B proteinase (AcCP-2) has protease activity. The protein level of cathepsin B proteinase in larval and adult worm was detected by western blot. The immuno-localization of cathepsin B proteinase in eggs and larval stages was characterized. The expression of cathepsin B proteinase was more abundant in eggs and larvae stages of A. caninum. It implied that cathepsin B proteinase might play roles in the early development of A. caninum. PMID:21925175
A clinical education program for speech-language pathologists applying reflective practice, evidence-based practice and case-based learning.
Meilijson, Sara; Katzenberger, Irit
This paper presents a comprehensive clinical education program for speech-language pathology students while considering the learning process and gradual acquisition of knowledge and skills for becoming a practicing speech-language pathologist. It describes the clinical speech and language education program for speech-language pathology students at Hadassah Academic College Jerusalem (HAC) based on three facets of learning: reflective practice, evidence-based practice and case-based learning. Also described are the choice of the model of learning and its implementation. The clinical education program presented reflects the professional development of the faculty at HAC as well as recent trends in clinical education methods. PMID:25790922
Applying Critical Consciousness and Evidence-Based Practice Decision-Making: A Framework for Clinical Social Work Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
O'Neill, Margaret
Social work education is increasingly driven by the established movement of evidence-based practice (EBP) that drives the delivery of mental health care with the promise of providing treatments that work and greater efficiency. This emphasis on EBP coexists with the profession's expressed commitment to social justice. Social work literature rarely…
Outcomes of Implementing an Evidence-Based Hypertension Clinical Guideline in an Academic Nurse Managed Health Center.
Dyal, Brenda; Whyte, Maria; Blankenship, S Michele; Ford, Lynn Gallagher
This column shares the best evidence-based strategies and innovative ideas on how to facilitate the learning and implementation of EBP principles and processes by clinicians as well as nursing and interprofessional students. Guidelines for submission are available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1741-6787. PMID:26765990
Parent Perspectives of an Evidence-Based Intervention for Children with Autism Served in Community Mental Health Clinics
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stadnick, Nicole A.; Drahota, Amy; Brookman-Frazee, Lauren
Research suggests that improvements to community mental health (CMH) care for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are needed. Recent research examining the feasibility of training CMH therapists to deliver a package of evidence-based practice intervention strategies (EBPs) targeting challenging behaviors for school-age children with ASD…
McMaster PLUS: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial of an Intervention to Accelerate Clinical Use of Evidence-based Information from Digital Libraries
Haynes, R. Brian; Holland, Jennifer; Cotoi, Chris; McKinlay, R. James; Wilczynski, Nancy L.; Walters, Leslie A.; Jedras, Dawn; Parrish, Rick; McKibbon, K. Ann; Garg, Amit; Walter, Stephen D.
Background Physicians have difficulty keeping up with new evidence from medical research. Methods We developed the McMaster Premium LiteratUre Service (PLUS), an internet-based addition to an existing digital library, which delivered quality- and relevance-rated medical literature to physicians, matched to their clinical disciplines. We evaluated PLUS in a cluster-randomized trial of 203 participating physicians in Northern Ontario, comparing a Full-Serve version (that included alerts to new articles and a cumulative database of alerts) with a Self-Serve version (that included a passive guide to evidence-based literature). Utilization of the service was the primary trial end-point. Results Mean logins to the library rose by 0.77 logins/month/user (95% CI 0.43, 1.11) in the Full-Serve group compared with the Self-Serve group. The proportion of Full-Serve participants who utilized the service during each month of the study period showed a sustained increase during the intervention period, with a relative increase of 57% (95% CI 12, 123) compared with the Self-Serve group. There were no differences in these proportions during the baseline period, and following the crossover of the Self-Serve group to Full-Serve, the Self-Serve group's usage became indistinguishable from that of the Full-Serve group (relative difference 4.4 (95% CI −23.7, 43.0). Also during the intervention and crossover periods, measures of self-reported usefulness did not show a difference between the 2 groups. Conclusion A quality- and relevance-rated online literature service increased the utilization of evidence-based information from a digital library by practicing physicians. PMID:16929034
Utilization of evidence-based practice knowledge, attitude, and skill of clinical nurses in the planning of professional development programming.
Williamson, Kathleen M; Almaskari, Mohammed; Lester, Zanet; Maguire, Deborah
This collaborative study explored nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to the evidence-based practice (EBP) process. It also explored the nurses' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators that they face related to fully using EBP in the workplace. Findings will afford the healthcare system the information to develop, plan, and restructure the educational services to meet the demand of enhancing EBP strategies and utilization. PMID:25790357
Nalin, David R
Evidence based vaccinology (EBV) is the identification and use of the best evidence in making and implementing decisions during all of the stages of the life of a vaccine, including pre-licensure vaccine development and post-licensure manufacture and research, and utilization of the vaccine for disease control. Vaccines, unlike most pharmaceuticals, are in a continuous process of development both before and after licensure. Changes in biologics manufacturing technology and changes that vaccines induce in population and disease biology lead to periodic review of regimens (and sometimes dosage) based on changing immunologic data or public perceptions relevant to vaccine safety and effectiveness. EBV includes the use of evidence based medicine (EBM) both in clinical trials and in national disease containment programs. The rationale for EBV is that the highest evidentiary standards are required to maintain a rigorous scientific basis of vaccine quality control in manufacture and to ensure valid determination of vaccine efficacy, field effectiveness and safety profiles (including post-licensure safety monitoring), cost-benefit analyses, and risk:benefit ratios. EBV is increasingly based on statistically validated, clearly defined laboratory, manufacturing, clinical and epidemiological research methods and procedures, codified as good laboratory practices (GLP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), good clinical research practices (GCRP) and in clinical and public health practice (good vaccination practices, GVP). Implementation demands many data-driven decisions made by a spectrum of specialists pre- and post-licensure, and is essential to maintaining public confidence in vaccines. PMID:11858871
Part III. Reenvisioning undergraduate nursing students as opinion leaders to diffuse evidence-based practice in clinical settings.
Cronje, Ruth J; Moch, Susan D
Rogers's claims about the importance of social networks to the diffusion of innovations are reviewed in light of efforts to promote evidence-based practice (EBP) among nursing students and practicing nurses. We argue that nursing educators can take more deliberate advantage of the essentially social nature of the diffusion process by devising opportunities for nursing students to form meaningful social interactions with practicing nurses. We recommend curricular reforms that reenvision undergraduate nursing students as opinion leaders throughout the curriculum. Rogers's theory predicts that such ongoing interactions between nursing students and practicing nurses will better integrate EBP among both populations. PMID:20129589
Evidence-based clinical audit criteria for the prevention and management of delirium in the postoperative patient with a hip fracture.
Holly, Cheryl; Rittenmeyer, Leslie; Weeks, Susan Mace
Delirium is a frequent, yet often unrecognized, occurrence in elderly hospitalized patients. In patients with hip fracture, the incidence of delirium is reported to be as high as 62% and even greater if over 65 years of age. One approach to the prevention and management of postoperative delirium in elderly patients with hip fracture is the clinical audit. A clinical audit is a retrospective assessment of clinical care of patients and is guided by criteria that are evidence-based statements of best practice. The use of measurable, objective criterion, with an agreed standard of performance is the hallmark of an audit. The clinical audit criteria presented in this article for the prevention and management of delirium in hospitalized elderly with hip fracture were determined by a compilation of systematic reviews and existing evidence-based clinical guidelines. The following 5 audit criteria are discussed: (1) All elderly patients with a hip fracture are assessed for risk factors for developing delirium daily using a valid and reliable tool; (2) the environment of the patient with hip fracture is assessed daily for conduciveness to maintaining sensory orientation; (3) all patients with hip fracture receive essential nursing care; (4) appropriate clinical criteria are applied to confirm a diagnosis of delirium in patients with hip fracture; and (5) nonpharmacologic interventions are employed before pharmacologic interventions in patients with hip fracture with a diagnosis of delirium. PMID:24457386
Impact of evidence-based standardized assessment on the disability clinical interview for diagnosis of service-connected PTSD: a cluster-randomized trial.
Speroff, Theodore; Sinnott, Patricia L; Marx, Brian; Owen, Richard R; Jackson, James C; Greevy, Robert; Sayer, Nina; Murdoch, Maureen; Shane, Andrea C; Smith, Jeffrey; Alvarez, JoAnn; Nwosu, Samuel K; Keane, Terence; Weathers, Frank; Schnurr, Paula P; Friedman, Matthew J
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the fastest growing compensated medical conditions. The present study compared usual disability examiner practices for PTSD with a standardized assessment that incorporates evidence-based assessments. The design was a multicenter, cluster randomized, parallel-group study involving 33 clinical examiners and 384 veterans at 6 Veterans Affairs medical centers. The standardized group incorporated the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-II into their assessment interview. The main outcome measures were completeness and accuracy of PTSD diagnosis and completeness of functional assessment. The standardized assessments were 85% complete for diagnosis compared to 30% for nonstandardized assessments (p < .001), and, for functional impairment, 76% versus 3% (p < .001). The findings demonstrate that the quality of PTSD disability examination would be improved by using evidence-based assessment. PMID:23225029
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - clinical management guided by the evidence-based GRADE approach: what arguments can be made against transparency in guideline development?
Rochwerg, Bram; Schünemann, Holger J; Raghu, Ganesh
Evidence-based guidelines have undergone an incredible transformation over the last number of years. Significant advances include explicit linkages of systematic evidence summaries to the strength and direction of recommendations, consideration of all patient-important factors, transparent reporting of the recommendation generation process including conflict of interest management strategies and the production of clinical practice guidelines which use simple and clear language. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology provides a framework for guideline development and was employed to produce the recently published ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT update on treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Herein we discuss the advantages of using an evidence-based approach for guideline development using the IPF process and resultant document as an example. PMID:26860831
Developing an evidence-based clinical pathway for the assessment, diagnosis and management of acute Charcot Neuro-Arthropathy: a systematic review
Background Charcot Neuro-Arthropathy (CN) is one of the more devastating complications of diabetes. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it appears that no clinical tools based on a systematic review of existing literature have been developed to manage acute CN. Thus, the aim of this paper was to systematically review existing literature and develop an evidence-based clinical pathway for the assessment, diagnosis and management of acute CN in patients with diabetes. Methods Electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and Cochrane Library), reference lists, and relevant key websites were systematically searched for literature discussing the assessment, diagnosis and/or management of acute CN published between 2002-2012. At least two independent investigators then quality rated and graded the evidence of each included paper. Consistent recommendations emanating from the included papers were then fashioned in a clinical pathway. Results The systematic search identified 267 manuscripts, of which 117 (44%) met the inclusion criteria for this study. Most manuscripts discussing the assessment, diagnosis and/or management of acute CN constituted level IV (case series) or EO (expert opinion) evidence. The included literature was used to develop an evidence-based clinical pathway for the assessment, investigations, diagnosis and management of acute CN. Conclusions This research has assisted in developing a comprehensive, evidence-based clinical pathway to promote consistent and optimal practice in the assessment, diagnosis and management of acute CN. The pathway aims to support health professionals in making early diagnosis and providing appropriate immediate management of acute CN, ultimately reducing its associated complications such as amputations and hospitalisations. PMID:23898912
Empirically Supported Treatments in Psychotherapy: Towards an Evidence-Based or Evidence-Biased Psychology in Clinical Settings?
Castelnuovo, Gianluca
The field of research and practice in psychotherapy has been deeply influenced by two different approaches: the empirically supported treatments (ESTs) movement, linked with the evidence-based medicine (EBM) perspective and the "Common Factors" approach, typically connected with the "Dodo Bird Verdict". About the first perspective, since 1998 a list of ESTs has been established in mental health field. Criterions for "well-established" and "probably efficacious" treatments have arisen. The development of these kinds of paradigms was motivated by the emergence of a "managerial" approach and related systems for remuneration also for mental health providers and for insurance companies. In this article ESTs will be presented underlining also some possible criticisms. Finally complementary approaches, that could add different evidence in the psychotherapy research in comparison with traditional EBM approach, are presented. PMID:21833197
Translating Evidence-Based Falls Prevention into Clinical Practice in Nursing Facilities: Results and Lessons from a Quality Improvement Collaborative
Colón-Emeric, Cathleen; Schenck, Anna; Gorospe, Joel; McArdle, Jill; Dobson, Lee; DePorter, Cindy; McConnell, Eleanor
OBJECTIVES To describe the changes in process of care before and after an evidence-based fall reduction quality improvement collaborative in nursing facilities. DESIGN Natural experiment with nonparticipating facilities serving as controls. SETTING Community nursing homes. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-six participating and 353 non-participating nursing facilities in North Carolina. INTERVENTION Two in-person learning sessions, monthly teleconferences, and an e-mail discussion list over 9 months. The change package emphasized screening, labeling, and risk-factor reduction. MEASUREMENTS Compliance was measured using facility self-report and chart abstraction (n = 832) before and after the intervention. Fall rates as measured using the Minimum Data Set (MDS) were compared with those of nonparticipating facilities as an exploratory outcome. RESULTS Self-reported compliance with screening, labeling, and risk-factor reduction approached 100%. Chart abstraction revealed only modest improvements in screening (51% to 68%, P<.05), risk-factor reduction (4% to 7%, P = .30), and medication assessment (2% to 6%, P = .34). There was a significant increase in vitamin D prescriptions (40% to 48%, P = .03) and decrease in sedative-hypnotics (19% to 12%, P = .04) but no change in benzodiazepine, neuroleptic, or calcium use. No significant changes in proportions of fallers or fall rates were observed according to chart abstraction (28.6% to 37.5%, P = .17), MDS (18.2% to 15.4%, P = .56), or self-report (6.1–5.6 falls/1,000 bed days, P = .31). CONCLUSON Multiple-risk-factor reduction tasks are infrequently implemented, whereas screening tasks appear more easily modifiable in a real-world setting. Substantial differences between self-reported practice and medical record documentation require that additional data sources be used to assess the change-in-care processes resulting from quality improvement programs. Interventions to improve interdisciplinary collaboration need to be developed. PMID
Evidence-based clinical practice: Overview of threats to the validity of evidence and how to minimise them.
Garattini, Silvio; Jakobsen, Janus C; Wetterslev, Jørn; Bertelé, Vittorio; Banzi, Rita; Rath, Ana; Neugebauer, Edmund A M; Laville, Martine; Masson, Yvonne; Hivert, Virginie; Eikermann, Michaela; Aydin, Burc; Ngwabyt, Sandra; Martinho, Cecilia; Gerardi, Chiara; Szmigielski, Cezary A; Demotes-Mainard, Jacques; Gluud, Christian
Using the best quality of clinical research evidence is essential for choosing the right treatment for patients. How to identify the best research evidence is, however, difficult. In this narrative review we summarise these threats and describe how to minimise them. Pertinent literature was considered through literature searches combined with personal files. Treatments should generally not be chosen based only on evidence from observational studies or single randomised clinical trials. Systematic reviews with meta-analysis of all identifiable randomised clinical trials with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment represent the highest level of evidence. Even though systematic reviews are trust worthier than other types of evidence, all levels of the evidence hierarchy are under threats from systematic errors (bias); design errors (abuse of surrogate outcomes, composite outcomes, etc.); and random errors (play of chance). Clinical research infrastructures may help in providing larger and better conducted trials. Trial Sequential Analysis may help in deciding when there is sufficient evidence in meta-analyses. If threats to the validity of clinical research are carefully considered and minimised, research results will be more valid and this will benefit patients and heath care systems. PMID:27160381
Essential content of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for bladder cancer: The Japanese Urological Association 2015 update.
Kubota, Yoshinobu; Nakaigawa, Noboru
The Japanese Urological Association revised the clinical practice guidelines for bladder cancer in April 2015. This was the first update carried out in the 6 years since the development of the initial clinical practice guidelines for bladder cancer in 2009. The descriptive content was revised, and additions were made with a focus on new-found evidence and advances in the latest medical practices, and on the basis of the increasingly aging population observed in the underlying social context in Japan. An algorithm for the treatment of bladder cancer has been presented as a new trial. In the present article, we will introduce the essential contents and clinical questions that address the present revisions. PMID:27374472
Patience, Persistence and Pragmatism: Experiences and Lessons Learnt from the Implementation of Clinically Integrated Teaching and Learning of Evidence-Based Health Care – A Qualitative Study
Young, Taryn; Rohwer, Anke; van Schalkwyk, Susan; Volmink, Jimmy; Clarke, Mike
Background Clinically integrated teaching and learning are regarded as the best options for improving evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) knowledge, skills and attitudes. To inform implementation of such strategies, we assessed experiences and opinions on lessons learnt of those involved in such programmes. Methods and Findings We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 EBHC programme coordinators from around the world, selected through purposive sampling. Following data transcription, a multidisciplinary group of investigators carried out analysis and data interpretation, using thematic content analysis. Successful implementation of clinically integrated teaching and learning of EBHC takes much time. Student learning needs to start in pre-clinical years with consolidation, application and assessment following in clinical years. Learning is supported through partnerships between various types of staff including the core EBHC team, clinical lecturers and clinicians working in the clinical setting. While full integration of EBHC learning into all clinical rotations is considered necessary, this was not always achieved. Critical success factors were pragmatism and readiness to use opportunities for engagement and including EBHC learning in the curriculum; patience; and a critical mass of the right teachers who have EBHC knowledge and skills and are confident in facilitating learning. Role modelling of EBHC within the clinical setting emerged as an important facilitator. The institutional context exerts an important influence; with faculty buy-in, endorsement by institutional leaders, and an EBHC-friendly culture, together with a supportive community of practice, all acting as key enablers. The most common challenges identified were lack of teaching time within the clinical curriculum, misconceptions about EBHC, resistance of staff, lack of confidence of tutors, lack of time, and negative role modelling. Conclusions Implementing clinically integrated EBHC curricula
Evaluating the evidence for evidence-based medicine: are randomized clinical trials less flawed than other forms of peer-reviewed medical research?
Steen, R Grant; Dager, Stephen R
Evidence-based medicine considers randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to be the strongest form of evidence for clinical decision making. To test the hypothesis that RCTs have fewer methodological flaws than non-RCTs, limitations of 17,591 RCTs and 39,029 non-RCTs were characterized. Panels of experts assembled to write meta-analyses evaluated this literature to determine which articles should be included in 316 meta-analytic reviews. Overall, 38.7% of RCTs evaluated were excluded from review for an identified flaw. Commonly identified flaws in RCTs were as follows: insufficient data provided to evaluate the study (9.6% of 17,591 RCTs); inadequate randomization (9.0%); inadequate blinding (4.9%); and duplicative publication (4.4%). Overall, 20.2% of all published medical research has an identified methodological flaw, with RCTs having as many limitations as non-RCTs. PMID:23695156
Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Patient Education Programmes in the Management of Osteoarthritis
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Health Education Journal, 2011
Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines and recommendations on patient education programmes of any type, targeted specially to individuals with OA and which were designed to improve the clinical effectiveness of managing OA. Methods: The Ottawa Methods Group contacted specialized organizations that focus on management for…
Astragalus in the Prevention of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection in Children with Nephrotic Syndrome: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice
Zou, Chuan; Su, Guobin; Wu, Yuchi; Lu, Fuhua; Mao, Wei; Liu, Xusheng
Aims. To explore whether Astragalus or its formulations could prevent upper respiratory infection in children with nephrotic syndrome and how best to use it. Methods. We transformed a common clinical question in practice to an answerable question according to the PICO principle. Databases, including the Cochrane Library (Issue 5, 2012), PUBMED (1966–2012.8), CBM (1978–2012.8), VIP (1989–2012.8), and CNKI (1979–2012.8), were searched to identify Cochrane systematic reviews and clinical trials. Then, the quality of and recommendations from the clinical evidence were evaluated using the GRADEpro software. Results. The search yielded 537 papers. Only two studies with high validity were included for synthesis calculations. The results showed that Astragalus granules could effectively reduce URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome compared with prednisone treatment alone (23.9% versus 42.9%; RR = 0.56 and 95% CI = 0.33–0.93). The dose of Astragalus granules was 2.25 gram (equivalent to 15 gram crude Astragalus) twice per day, at least for 3–6 months. The level of evidence quality was low, but we still recommended the evidence to the patient according to GRADEpro with the opinion of the expert. Followup showed the incidence of URTI in this child decreased significantly. Conclusions. Astragalus granules may reduce the incidence of URTI in children with nephrotic syndrome. PMID:23662131
Guidelines on the use of therapeutic apheresis in clinical practice-evidence-based approach from the Writing Committee of the American Society for Apheresis: the sixth special issue.
Schwartz, Joseph; Winters, Jeffrey L; Padmanabhan, Anand; Balogun, Rasheed A; Delaney, Meghan; Linenberger, Michael L; Szczepiorkowski, Zbigniew M; Williams, Mark E; Wu, Yanyun; Shaz, Beth H
The American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) JCA Special Issue Writing Committee is charged with reviewing, updating and categorizating indications for therapeutic apheresis. Beginning with the 2007 ASFA Special Issue (Fourth Edition), the committee has incorporated systematic review and evidence-based approach in the grading and categorization of indications. This Sixth Edition of the ASFA Special Issue has further improved the process of using evidence-based medicine in the recommendations by consistently applying the category and GRADE system definitions, but eliminating the "level of evidence" criteria (from the University HealthCare Consortium) utilized in prior editions given redundancy between GRADE and University HealthCare Consortium systems. The general layout and concept of a fact sheet that was utilized in the Fourth and Fifth Editions, has been largely maintained in this edition. Each fact sheet succinctly summarizes the evidence for the use of therapeutic apheresis in a specific disease entity. This article consists of 78 fact sheets (increased from 2010) for therapeutic indications in ASFA categories I through IV, with many diseases categorized having multiple clinical presentations/situations which are individually graded and categorized. PMID:23868759
Drug Insight: choosing a drug treatment strategy for women with osteoporosis-an evidence--based clinical perspective.
Geusens, Piet P; Roux, Christian H; Reid, David M; Lems, Willem F; Adami, Silvano; Adachi, Jonathan D; Sambrook, Philip N; Saag, Kenneth G; Lane, Nancy E; Hochberg, Marc C
Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated drug treatment for women at high risk of fracture, with a reduction in fracture risk as their end point. There has also been progress in identifying women at the highest risk of fractures. The most important clinical determinant contributing to the clinical decision of initiating and choosing drug therapy for fracture prevention is a woman's fracture risk, which, in RCTs, was determined by menopausal state, age, bone mineral density, fracture history, fall risks and glucocorticoid use. Women with secondary osteoporosis were excluded, except in studies of glucocorticoid use. A second determinant of drug therapy is the evidence for fracture prevention in terms of spectrum (vertebral, nonvertebral and/or hip fractures), size and speed of effect. In the absence of head-to-head RCTs with fracture risk as the end point, however, the efficacy of antifracture drugs cannot be directly compared. Other determinants include the potential extraskeletal benefits and safety concerns of the drug, patient preferences and reimbursement issues. PMID:18398411
Utilizing clinical pharmacists to improve delivery of evidence-based care for depression and anxiety in primary care
Locke, Amanda; Kamo, Norifumi
Access to mental health providers has become an increasingly common challenge for many patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Primary care providers often manage this gap in care and currently provide solo care without the assistance of other team members. In order to provide quality care that aligns with best practice, we developed a depression and anxiety disorder treatment pathway utilizing a multidisciplinary team based on each members' individual skill set, or skill-task alignment. The main change to treatment implemented by the pathway was the addition of a clinical pharmacist in the management of patient care. This pathway was trialed over five months targeting two adult primary care teams (approximately 34 physicians and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners [ARNPs]) while the other five teams continued with current practice standards. Post-implementation metrics indicated that clinical pharmacists successfully contacted 55% (406 of 738) of patients started on medication or who had a medication changed. Of these patients reached, 82 (20%) had an intervention completed. In addition, all physician leaders on the planning team (n=6) stated the new pathway was well received and delivered positive feedback from team members. PMID:27493753
Utilizing clinical pharmacists to improve delivery of evidence-based care for depression and anxiety in primary care.
Locke, Amanda; Kamo, Norifumi
Access to mental health providers has become an increasingly common challenge for many patients with depression and anxiety disorders. Primary care providers often manage this gap in care and currently provide solo care without the assistance of other team members. In order to provide quality care that aligns with best practice, we developed a depression and anxiety disorder treatment pathway utilizing a multidisciplinary team based on each members' individual skill set, or skill-task alignment. The main change to treatment implemented by the pathway was the addition of a clinical pharmacist in the management of patient care. This pathway was trialed over five months targeting two adult primary care teams (approximately 34 physicians and Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners [ARNPs]) while the other five teams continued with current practice standards. Post-implementation metrics indicated that clinical pharmacists successfully contacted 55% (406 of 738) of patients started on medication or who had a medication changed. Of these patients reached, 82 (20%) had an intervention completed. In addition, all physician leaders on the planning team (n=6) stated the new pathway was well received and delivered positive feedback from team members. PMID:27493753
An evidence-based laparoscopic simulation curriculum shortens the clinical learning curve and reduces surgical adverse events
De Win, Gunter; Van Bruwaene, Siska; Kulkarni, Jyotsna; Van Calster, Ben; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Allen, Christopher; Lissens, Ann; De Ridder, Dirk; Miserez, Marc
Background Surgical simulation is becoming increasingly important in surgical education. However, the method of simulation to be incorporated into a surgical curriculum is unclear. We compared the effectiveness of a proficiency-based preclinical simulation training in laparoscopy with conventional surgical training and conventional surgical training interspersed with standard simulation sessions. Materials and methods In this prospective single-blinded trial, 30 final-year medical students were randomized into three groups, which differed in the way they were exposed to laparoscopic simulation training. The control group received only clinical training during residency, whereas the interval group received clinical training in combination with simulation training. The Center for Surgical Technologies Preclinical Training Program (CST PTP) group received a proficiency-based preclinical simulation course during the final year of medical school but was not exposed to any extra simulation training during surgical residency. After 6 months of surgical residency, the influence on the learning curve while performing five consecutive human laparoscopic cholecystectomies was evaluated with motion tracking, time, Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills, and number of adverse events (perforation of gall bladder, bleeding, and damage to liver tissue). Results The odds of adverse events were 4.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3–15.3) and 3.9 (95% confidence interval 1.5–9.7) times lower for the CST PTP group compared with the control and interval groups. For raw time, corrected time, movements, path length, and Global Operative Assessment of Laparoscopic Skills, the CST PTP trainees nearly always started at a better level and were never outperformed by the other trainees. Conclusion Proficiency-based preclinical training has a positive impact on the learning curve of a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and diminishes adverse events. PMID:27512343
Applying psychological theories to evidence-based clinical practice: Identifying factors predictive of managing upper respiratory tract infections without antibiotics
Eccles, Martin P; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Johnston, Marie; Steen, Nick; Pitts, Nigel B; Thomas, Ruth; Glidewell, Elizabeth; Maclennan, Graeme; Bonetti, Debbie; Walker, Anne
Background Psychological models can be used to understand and predict behaviour in a wide range of settings. However, they have not been consistently applied to health professional behaviours, and the contribution of differing theories is not clear. The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of a range of psychological theories to predict health professional behaviour relating to management of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) without antibiotics. Methods Psychological measures were collected by postal questionnaire survey from a random sample of general practitioners (GPs) in Scotland. The outcome measures were clinical behaviour (using antibiotic prescription rates as a proxy indicator), behavioural simulation (scenario-based decisions to managing URTI with or without antibiotics) and behavioural intention (general intention to managing URTI without antibiotics). Explanatory variables were the constructs within the following theories: Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Common Sense Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM), Operant Learning Theory (OLT), Implementation Intention (II), Stage Model (SM), and knowledge (a non-theoretical construct). For each outcome measure, multiple regression analysis was used to examine the predictive value of each theoretical model individually. Following this 'theory level' analysis, a 'cross theory' analysis was conducted to investigate the combined predictive value of all significant individual constructs across theories. Results All theories were tested, but only significant results are presented. When predicting behaviour, at the theory level, OLT explained 6% of the variance and, in a cross theory analysis, OLT 'evidence of habitual behaviour' also explained 6%. When predicting behavioural simulation, at the theory level, the proportion of variance explained was: TPB, 31%; SCT, 26%; II, 6%; OLT, 24%. GPs who reported having already decided to change their management to try to avoid the
Antiseptic use in the neonatal intensive care unit - a dilemma in clinical practice: An evidence based review.
Sathiyamurthy, Sundar; Banerjee, Jayanta; Godambe, Sunit V
Infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are highly susceptible to healthcare associated infections (HAI), with a substantial impact on mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs. Effective skin disinfection with topical antiseptic agents is an important intervention in the prevention or reduction of HAI. A wide array of antiseptic preparations in varying concentrations and combinations has been used in neonatal units worldwide. In this article we have reviewed the current evidence of a preferred antiseptic of choice over other agents for topical skin disinfection in neonates. Chlorhexidine (CHG) appears to be a promising antiseptic agent; however there exists a significant concern regarding the safety of all agents used including CHG especially in preterm and very low birth weight infants. There is substantial evidence to support the use of CHG for umbilical cord cleansing and some evidence to support the use of topical emollients in reducing the mortality in infants born in developing countries. Well-designed large multicentre randomized clinical trials are urgently needed to guide us on the most appropriate and safe antiseptic to use in neonates undergoing intensive care, especially preterm infants. PMID:27170926
Antiseptic use in the neonatal intensive care unit - a dilemma in clinical practice: An evidence based review
Sathiyamurthy, Sundar; Banerjee, Jayanta; Godambe, Sunit V
Infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are highly susceptible to healthcare associated infections (HAI), with a substantial impact on mortality, morbidity and healthcare costs. Effective skin disinfection with topical antiseptic agents is an important intervention in the prevention or reduction of HAI. A wide array of antiseptic preparations in varying concentrations and combinations has been used in neonatal units worldwide. In this article we have reviewed the current evidence of a preferred antiseptic of choice over other agents for topical skin disinfection in neonates. Chlorhexidine (CHG) appears to be a promising antiseptic agent; however there exists a significant concern regarding the safety of all agents used including CHG especially in preterm and very low birth weight infants. There is substantial evidence to support the use of CHG for umbilical cord cleansing and some evidence to support the use of topical emollients in reducing the mortality in infants born in developing countries. Well-designed large multicentre randomized clinical trials are urgently needed to guide us on the most appropriate and safe antiseptic to use in neonates undergoing intensive care, especially preterm infants. PMID:27170926
Promoting Early Presentation of Breast Cancer in Older Women: Implementing an Evidence-Based Intervention in Routine Clinical Practice
Forbes, Lindsay J. L.; Forster, Alice S.; Dodd, Rachael H.; Tucker, Lorraine; Laming, Rachel; Sellars, Sarah; Patnick, Julietta; Ramirez, Amanda J.
Background. Women over 70 with breast cancer have poorer one-year survival and present at a more advanced stage than younger women. Promoting early symptomatic presentation in older women may reduce stage cost effectively and is unlikely to lead to overdiagnosis. After examining efficacy in a randomised controlled trial, we piloted a brief health professional-delivered intervention to equip women to present promptly with breast symptoms, as an integral part of the final invited mammogram at age ~70, in the English National Health Service Breast Screening Programme. Methods. We trained mammographers, who then offered the intervention to older women in four breast screening services. We examined breast cancer awareness at baseline and one month in women receiving the intervention, and also in a service where the intervention was not offered. Results. We trained 27 mammographers to deliver the intervention confidently to a high standard. Breast cancer awareness increased 7-fold at one month in women receiving the intervention compared with 2-fold in the comparison service (odds ratio 15.2, 95% confidence interval 10.0 to 23.2). Conclusions. The PEP Intervention can be implemented in routine clinical practice with a potency similar to that achieved in a randomised controlled trial. It has the potential to reduce delay in diagnosis for breast cancer in older women. PMID:23213334
EBMPracticeNet: A Bilingual National Electronic Point-Of-Care Project for Retrieval of Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline Information and Decision Support
Background In Belgium, the construction of a national electronic point-of-care information service, EBMPracticeNet, was initiated in 2011 to optimize quality of care by promoting evidence-based decision-making. The collaboration of the government, health care providers, evidence-based medicine (EBM) partners, and vendors of electronic health records (EHR) is unique to this project. All Belgian health care professionals get free access to an up-to-date database of validated Belgian and nearly 1000 international guidelines, incorporated in a portal that also provides EBM information from other sources than guidelines, including computerized clinical decision support that is integrated in the EHRs. Objective The objective of this paper was to describe the development strategy, the overall content, and the management of EBMPracticeNet which may be of relevance to other health organizations creating national or regional electronic point-of-care information services. Methods Several candidate providers of comprehensive guideline solutions were evaluated and one database was selected. Translation of the guidelines to Dutch and French was done with translation software, post-editing by translators and medical proofreading. A strategy is determined to adapt the guideline content to the Belgian context. Acceptance of the computerized clinical decision support tool has been tested and a randomized controlled trial is planned to evaluate the effect on process and patient outcomes. Results Currently, EBMPracticeNet is in "work in progress" state. Reference is made to the results of a pilot study and to further planned research including a randomized controlled trial. Conclusions The collaboration of government, health care providers, EBM partners, and vendors of EHRs is unique. The potential value of the project is great. The link between all the EHRs from different vendors and a national database held on a single platform that is controlled by all EBM organizations in Belgium
Evidence-based interventional pain medicine according to clinical diagnoses. 17. Herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia.
van Wijck, Albert J M; Wallace, Mark; Mekhail, Nagy; van Kleef, Maarten
Herpes zoster infection is caused by a reactivation of the latent varicella zoster virus that causes chicken pox. It appears predominantly in older adults whose immunity for the virus has waned. The natural course of the disease is usually favorable, and the symptoms disappear spontaneously within a few weeks. Some patients, however, have prolonged pain: post-herpetic neuralgia. The diagnosis of acute zoster infection is made on the clinical signs including the appearance of rash. Post-herpetic neuralgia is described as sharp, burning, aching, or shooting constantly present in the dermatome that corresponds with the earlier rash. The objectives of treating herpes zoster are: (1) acute pain reduction; (2) promotion of recovery of epidermal defects and prevention of secondary infections; and (3) reduction or prevention of post-herpetic neuralgia. The objective of the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia is primarily pain alleviation and improvement of the quality of life. Early treatment of the infection and the pain is believed to reduce the risk for post-herpetic neuralgia. This persistent pain syndrome is difficult to treat. Antiepileptic drugs and tricyclic antidepressants are the first choice. Interventional treatments, such as epidural injections of corticosteroids and local anesthetic drugs, have an effect on the acute pain but are of limited use in preventing post-herpetic neuralgia. When conservative treatment fails in providing satisfactory relief of post-herpetic neuralgia, a sympathetic block may be considered (2 C+); if this treatment provides unsatisfactory results, spinal cord stimulation may be considered, in a study context (2 C+). PMID:21114617
Lithium: updated human knowledge using an evidence-based approach. Part II: Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic monitoring.
Grandjean, Etienne Marc; Aubry, Jean-Michel
After a single dose, lithium, usually given as carbonate, reaches a peak plasma concentration at 1.0-2.0 hours for standard-release dosage forms, and 4-5 hours for sustained-release forms. Its bioavailability is 80-100%, its total clearance 10-40 mL/min and its elimination half-life is 18-36 hours. Use of the sustained-release formulation results in 30-50% reductions in peak plasma concentrations without major changes in the area under the plasma concentration curve. Lithium distribution to the brain, evaluated using 7Li magnetic resonance spectroscopy, showed brain concentrations to be approximately half those in serum, occasionally increasing to 75-80%. Brain concentrations were weakly correlated with serum concentrations. Lithium is almost exclusively excreted via the kidney as a free ion and lithium clearance is considered to decrease with aging. No gender- or race-related differences in kinetics have been demonstrated. Renal insufficiency is associated with a considerable reduction in renal clearance of lithium and is considered a contraindication to its use, especially if a sodium-poor diet is required. During the last months of pregnancy, lithium clearance increases by 30-50% as a result of an increase in glomerular filtration rate. Lithium also passes freely from maternal plasma into breast milk. Numerous kinetic interactions have been described for lithium, usually involving a decrease in the drug's clearance and therefore increasing its potential toxicity. Clinical pharmacology studies performed in healthy volunteers have investigated a possible effect of lithium on cognitive functions. Most of these studies reported a slight, negative effect on vigilance, alertness, learning and short-term memory after long-term administration only. Because of the narrow therapeutic range of lithium, therapeutic monitoring is the basis for optimal use and administration of this drug. Lithium dosages should be adjusted on the basis of the serum concentration drawn
Non-infectious granulomatous diseases of the skin and their associated systemic diseases: an evidence-based update to important clinical questions.
Hawryluk, Elena Balestreire; Izikson, Leonid; English, Joseph C
Non-infectious granulomatous diseases of the skin are a broad group of distinct reactive inflammatory conditions that share important similarities. As a group, they are relatively difficult to diagnose and distinguish both clinically as well as histologically. Many of these disorders have significant associations with systemic diseases that impact the patient's overall prognosis. In this update, we offer a discussion of emerging concepts and controversies in this field, as presented through evidence-based answers to seven important clinical questions regarding palisading and epithelioid granulomata. These questions offer an opportunity to review ten non-infectious granulomatous conditions that have implications for systemic disease: granuloma annulare, annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma, necrobiosis lipoidica, methotrexate-induced accelerated rheumatoid nodulosis, necrobiotic xanthogranuloma, interstitial granulomatous dermatitis, interstitial granulomatous drug reaction, palisaded neutrophilic granulomatous dermatitis, sarcoidosis, and metastatic Crohn disease. Recent clinical, epidemiologic, and laboratory studies have shed some light on these diseases, the association of these conditions with systemic disorders, and their overall prognoses. PMID:20184390
Guidelines on the Use of Therapeutic Apheresis in Clinical Practice-Evidence-Based Approach from the Writing Committee of the American Society for Apheresis: The Seventh Special Issue.
Schwartz, Joseph; Padmanabhan, Anand; Aqui, Nicole; Balogun, Rasheed A; Connelly-Smith, Laura; Delaney, Meghan; Dunbar, Nancy M; Witt, Volker; Wu, Yanyun; Shaz, Beth H
The American Society for Apheresis (ASFA) Journal of Clinical Apheresis (JCA) Special Issue Writing Committee is charged with reviewing, updating, and categorizing indications for the evidence-based use of therapeutic apheresis in human disease. Since the 2007 JCA Special Issue (Fourth Edition), the Committee has incorporated systematic review and evidence-based approaches in the grading and categorization of apheresis indications. This Seventh Edition of the JCA Special Issue continues to maintain this methodology and rigor to make recommendations on the use of apheresis in a wide variety of diseases/conditions. The JCA Seventh Edition, like its predecessor, has consistently applied the category and grading system definitions in the fact sheets. The general layout and concept of a fact sheet that was used since the fourth edition has largely been maintained in this edition. Each fact sheet succinctly summarizes the evidence for the use of therapeutic apheresis in a specific disease entity. The Seventh Edition discusses 87 fact sheets (14 new fact sheets since the Sixth Edition) for therapeutic apheresis diseases and medical conditions, with 179 indications, which are separately graded and categorized within the listed fact sheets. Several diseases that are Category IV which have been described in detail in previous editions and do not have significant new evidence since the last publication are summarized in a separate table. The Seventh Edition of the JCA Special Issue serves as a key resource that guides the utilization of therapeutic apheresis in the treatment of human disease. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:149-162, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27322218
Chambers, David W
Both panegyric and criticism of evidence-based dentistry tend to be clumsy because the concept is poorly defined. This analysis identifies several contributions to the profession that have been made under the EBD banner. Although the concept of clinicians integrating clinical epidemiology, the wisdom of their practices, and patients' values is powerful, its implementation has been distorted by a too heavy emphasis of computerized searches for research findings that meet the standards of academics. Although EBD advocates enjoy sharing anecdotal accounts of mistakes others have made, faulting others is not proof that one's own position is correct. There is no systematic, high-quality evidence that EBD is effective. The metaphor of a three-legged stool (evidence, experience, values, and integration) is used as an organizing principle. "Best evidence" has become a preoccupation among EBD enthusiasts. That overlong but thinly developed leg of the stool is critiqued from the perspectives of the criteria for evidence, the difference between internal and external validity, the relationship between evidence and decision making, the ambiguous meaning of "best," and the role of reasonable doubt. The strongest leg of the stool is clinical experience. Although bias exists in all observations (including searches for evidence), there are simple procedures that can be employed in practice to increase useful and objective evidence there, and there are dangers in delegating policy regarding allowable treatments to external groups. Patient and practitioner values are the shortest leg of the stool. As they are so little recognized, their integration in EBD is problematic and ethical tensions exist where paternalism privileges science over patient's self-determined best interests. Four potential approaches to integration are suggested, recognizing that there is virtually no literature on how the "seat" of the three-legged stool works or should work. It is likely that most dentists
Key process issues in Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP): translation of an evidence-based model into clinical practice and training.
Vivian, Dina; Salwen, Jessica
Our "desired outcome" in writing this article was to present not only key process issues stemming from the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP; McCullough, 2000), but to highlight those therapy maneuvers that we, a "seasoned" clinician/supervisor and a clinical trainee, find most useful in delivering treatment and in conducting supervision. We strongly believe that it is only through the translation of evidence-based therapeutic models, such as CBASP, into effective training that a true integration of science and practice can be obtained. Thus, the congruence of trainer's and trainee's views on what constitute top process issues in therapy is important in evaluating the reliability of a therapy model; with this in mind, we focus on three process issues, as follows: (1) problems are anchored to the "here and now" and to specific situational outcomes; (2) patients are encouraged to identify the role they play in affecting their distressing outcomes and to take responsibility for "fixing" them; and (3) the therapist planfully engages in the process of change via disciplined personal involvement. Research and theory supporting these maneuvers are presented, in conjunction with clinical examples. PMID:24000859
Designing evidence-based medicine training to optimize the transfer of skills from the classroom to clinical practice: applying the four component instructional design model.
Maggio, Lauren A; Cate, Olle Ten; Irby, David M; O'Brien, Bridget C
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills, although taught in medical schools around the world, are not optimally practiced in clinical environments because of multiple barriers, including learners' difficulty transferring EBM skills learned in the classroom to clinical practice. This lack of skill transfer may be partially due to the design of EBM training. To facilitate the transfer of EBM skills from the classroom to clinical practice, the authors explore one instructional approach, called the Four Component Instructional Design (4C/ID) model, to guide the design of EBM training. On the basis of current cognitive psychology, including cognitive load theory, the premise of the 4C/ID model is that complex skills training, such as EBM training, should include four components: learning tasks, supportive information, procedural information, and part-task practice. The combination of these four components can inform the creation of complex skills training that is designed to avoid overloading learners' cognitive abilities; to facilitate the integration of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to execute a complex task; and to increase the transfer of knowledge to new situations. The authors begin by introducing the 4C/ID model and describing the benefits of its four components to guide the design of EBM training. They include illustrative examples of educational practices that are consistent with each component and that can be applied to teaching EBM. They conclude by suggesting that medical educators consider adopting the 4C/ID model to design, modify, and/or implement EBM training in classroom and clinical settings. PMID:25993279
The Good-Enough Science-and-Politics of Anthropological Collaboration with Evidence-Based Clinical Research: Four Ethnographic Case Studies
Messac, Luke; Ciccarone, Dan; Draine, Jeffrey; Bourgois, Philippe
The apolitical legitimacy of "evidence-based medicine" offers a practical means for ethnography and critical social-science-and-humanities-of-health theory to transfer survival resources to structurally vulnerable populations and to engage policy and services audiences with urgent political problems imposed on the urban poor in the United States that harm health: most notably, homelessness, hyperincarceration, social service cut-backs and the War on Drugs. We present four examples of collaborations between ethnography and clinical research projects that demonstrate the potentials and limits of promoting institutional reform, political debate and action through distinct strategies of cross-methodological dialogue with epidemiological and clinical services research. Ethnographic methods alone, however, are simply a technocratic add-on. They must be informed by critical theory to contribute effectively and transformatively to applied health initiatives. Ironically, technocratic, neoliberal logics of cost-effectiveness can sometimes render radical service and policy reform initiatives institutionally credible, fundable and capable of generating wider political support, even though the rhetoric of economic efficacy is a double-edged sword. To extend the impact of ethnography and interdisciplinary theories of political-economic, cultural and disciplinary power relations into applied clinical and public health research, anthropologists--and their fellow travelers--have to be able to strategically, but respectfully learn to see through the positivist logics of clinical services research as well as epidemiological epistemology in order to help clinicians achieve--and extend--their applied priorities. In retrospect, these four very differently-structured collaborations suggest the potential for "good-enough" humble scientific and political strategies to work for, and with, structurally vulnerable populations in a punitive neoliberal era of rising social inequality
The good-enough science-and-politics of anthropological collaboration with evidence-based clinical research: Four ethnographic case studies.
Messac, Luke; Ciccarone, Dan; Draine, Jeffrey; Bourgois, Philippe
The apolitical legitimacy of "evidence-based medicine" offers a practical means for ethnography and critical social-science-and-humanities-of-health theory to transfer survival resources to structurally vulnerable populations and to engage policy and services audiences with urgent political problems imposed on the urban poor in the United States that harm health: most notably, homelessness, hyperincarceration, social service cut-backs and the War on Drugs. We present four examples of collaborations between ethnography and clinical research projects that demonstrate the potentials and limits of promoting institutional reform, political debate and action through distinct strategies of cross-methodological dialog with epidemiological and clinical services research. Ethnographic methods alone, however, are simply a technocratic add-on. They must be informed by critical theory to contribute effectively and transformatively to applied health initiatives. Ironically, technocratic, neoliberal logics of cost-effectiveness can sometimes render radical service and policy reform initiatives institutionally credible, fundable and capable of generating wider political support, even though the rhetoric of economic efficacy is a double-edged sword. To extend the impact of ethnography and interdisciplinary theories of political-economic, cultural and disciplinary power relations into applied clinical and public health research, anthropologists - and their fellow travelers - have to be able to strategically, but respectfully learn to see through the positivist logics of clinical services research as well as epidemiological epistemology in order to help clinicians achieve - and extend - their applied priorities. In retrospect, these four very differently-structured collaborations suggest the potential for "good-enough" humble scientific and political strategies to work for, and with, structurally vulnerable populations in a punitive neoliberal era of rising social inequality
Evidence-Based Research in Education.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Research Exchange, 2003
This educational newsletter highlights a lead article, "Evidence-Based Research in Education." The article explains that evidence-based research emerged in the field of medicine over 50 years ago, resulting in major advances in the treatment and prevention of disease. It adds that clinical guidelines and protocols are based on the results of…
Alternative therapies and medical science: designing clinical trials of alternative/complementary medicines--is evidence-based traditional Chinese medicine attainable?
Critchley, J A; Zhang, Y; Suthisisang, C C; Chan, T Y; Tomlinson, B
Evidence-based traditional Chinese medicine is attainable. With good planning and a positive attitude, the remedies used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Chinese proprietary medicines can be studied at a standard acceptable to modern science. The identification of an active principal should not delay the search for effective remedies from the TCM pharmacopoeia. Herbal mixtures can be validly tested to establish their efficacy. Problems with potential batch-to-batch variation can be circumvented by appropriate randomization. Subsequent independent screening and randomization to treatment and placebo arms can allow for the individualization of treatments by TCM practitioners. However, clearly defined treatments are required and should be recorded in a manner that enables other suitably trained researchers to reproduce them reliably (e.g., using prescriptions in Chinese). Quality control of TCM is a prerequisite of credible clinical trials. Correct natural ingredients must be used without adulteration or erroneous substitution. Evidence of safety in man is essential, and in lieu of data from formal toxicity studies, clear, convincing, and impartial evidence of safety is needed based on their long-term use in mainstream TCM practice backed up by publications in the Chinese medical/scientific literature. PMID:10806598
Translating an Evidence-Based Behavioral Intervention for Women Living with HIV into Clinical Practice: The SMART/EST Women's Program
Weiss, Stephen M.; Tobin, Jonathan N.; Lopez, Maria; Simons, Hannah; Cook, Ryan; Jones, Deborah L.
Background The process of translating scientific findings into clinical and public health settings has only recently received priority attention within the scientific community. Purpose Fueled by "Funding Opportunity Announcements" from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, scientists have begun to explore the pathways to effectively "transfer" promising research accomplishments into effective and sustainable service programs within the health care delivery system. Method Using Glasgow's RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, A-doption, Implementation and Maintenance) model as a guide, this research team enrolled 428 socially disadvantaged, culturally diverse women living with HIV/AIDS to test the dissemination and implementation of an evidence-based behavioral intervention designed to improve and sustain the physical and emotional health of participants into the Community Health Center (CHC) setting when conducted by trained CHC staff. Results Findings demonstrate the ability of trained CHC staff group leaders to attain results equivalent or superior to those achieved when conducted by research staff on the three principal study outcomes: depression, medication adherence and HIV viral load. Four of five CHCs involved in the study also identified and successfully obtained funding to continue to run intervention groups, supporting the adoption and sustainability components of the translation model. Conclusion This study confirmed (a) the "translatability" of the Stress Management And Relaxation Training/Emotional Supportive Therapy (SMART/EST) Women's Program, from academic to CHC settings in two geographic regions with high HIV prevalence among women, (b) the ability of local staff (using the "train the trainer" model) to successfully achieve program fidelity and clinical outcomes, and (c) the sustainability the program beyond the auspices of research support, through supportive CHC leadership securing
Clinical Decision-Making in Community Children's Mental Health: Using Innovative Methods to Compare Clinicians With and Without Training in Evidence-Based Treatment
Baker-Ericzén, Mary J.; Jenkins, Melissa M.; Park, Soojin; Garland, Ann F.
Background Mental health professionals' decision-making practice is an area of increasing interest and importance, especially in the pediatric research and clinical communities. Objective The present study explored the role of prior training in evidence-based treatments on clinicians' assessment and treatment formulations using case vignettes. Specifically, study aims included using the Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) cognitive theory to 1) examine potential associations between EBT training and decision-making processes (novice versus expert type), and 2) explore how client and family contextual information affects clinical decision-making. Methods Forty-eight clinicians across two groups (EBT trained=14, Not EBT trained=34) participated. Clinicians were comparable on professional experience, demographics, and discipline. The quasi-experimental design used an analog "think aloud" method where clinicians read case vignettes about a child with disruptive behavior problems and verbalized case conceptualization and treatment planning out-loud. Responses were coded according to NDM theory. Results MANOVA results were significant for EBT training status such that EBT trained clinicians' displayed cognitive processes more closely aligned with "expert" decision-makers and non-EBT trained clinicians' decision processes were more similar to "novice" decision-makers, following NDM theory. Non-EBT trained clinicians assigned significantly more diagnoses, provided less detailed treatment plans and discussed fewer EBTs. Parent/family contextual information also appeared to influence decision-making. Conclusion This study offers a preliminary investigation of the possible broader impacts of EBT training and potential associations with development of expert decision-making skills. Targeting clinicians' decision-making may be an important avenue to pursue within dissemination-implementation efforts in mental health practice. PMID:25892901
Timing of Decompressive Surgery of Spinal Cord after Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: An Evidence-Based Examination of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Studies
Furlan, Julio C.; Noonan, Vanessa; Cadotte, David W.
Abstract While the recommendations for spine surgery in specific cases of acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) are well recognized, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the role of the timing of surgical decompression of the spinal cord in the management of patients with SCI. Given this, we sought to critically review the literature regarding the pre-clinical and clinical evidence on the potential impact of timing of surgical decompression of the spinal cord on outcomes after traumatic SCI. The primary literature search was performed using MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. A secondary search strategy incorporated articles referenced in prior meta-analyses and systematic and nonsystematic review articles. Two reviewers independently assessed every study with regard to eligibility, level of evidence, and study quality. Of 198 abstracts of pre-clinical studies, 19 experimental studies using animal SCI models fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Despite some discrepancies in the results of those pre-clinical studies, there is evidence for a biological rationale to support early decompression of the spinal cord. Of 153 abstracts of clinical studies, 22 fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. While the vast majority of the clinical studies were level-4 evidence, there were two studies of level-2b evidence. The quality assessment scores varied from 7 to 25 with a mean value of 12.41. While 2 of 22 clinical studies assessed feasibility and safety, 20 clinical studies examined efficacy of early surgical intervention to stabilize and align the spine and to decompress the spinal cord; the most common definitions of early operation used 24 and 72 h after SCI as timelines. A number of studies indicated that patients who undergo early surgical decompression can have similar outcomes to patients who received a delayed decompressive operation. However, there is evidence to suggest that early surgical intervention is safe and feasible
Evidence-based periodontal therapy: An overview
Vijayalakshmi, R.; Anitha, V.; Ramakrishnan, T.; Sudhakar, Uma
Dentists need to make clinical decisions based on limited scientific evidence. In clinical practice, a clinician must weigh a myriad of evidences every day. The goal of evidence-based dentistry is to help practitioners provide their patients with optimal care. This is achieved by integrating sound research evidence with personal clinical expertise and patient values to determine the best course of treatment. Periodontology has a rich background of research and scholarship. Therefore, efficient use of this wealth of research data needs to be a part of periodontal practice. Evidence-based periodontology aims to facilitate such an approach and it offers a bridge from science to clinical practice. The clinician must integrate the evidence with patient preference, scientific knowledge, and personal experience. Most important, it allows us to care for our patients. Therefore, evidence-based periodontology is a tool to support decision-making and integrating the best evidence available with clinical practice. PMID:20142947
Theory- and Evidence- Based Intervention: Practice-Based Evidence--Integrating Positive Psychology into a Clinical Psychological Assessment and Intervention Model and How to Measure Outcome
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Nissen, Poul
In this paper, a model for assessment and intervention is presented. This model explains how to perform theory- and evidence- based as well as practice-based assessment and intervention. The assessment model applies a holistic approach to treatment planning, which includes recognition of the influence of community, school, peers, family and the…
Evidence-Based Medicine in the Education of Psychiatrists
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Srihari, Vinod
Objective: Evidence-based medicine has an important place in the teaching and practice of psychiatry. Attempts to teach evidence-based medicine skills can be weakened by conceptual confusions feeding a false polarization between traditional clinical skills and evidence-based medicine. Methods: The author develops a broader conception of clinical…
Redesigning Radiotherapy Quality Assurance: Opportunities to Develop an Efficient, Evidence-Based System to Support Clinical Trials-Report of the National Cancer Institute Work Group on Radiotherapy Quality Assurance
Bekelman, Justin E.; Deye, James A.; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Bentzen, Soren M.; Bruner, Deborah; Curran, Walter J.; Dignam, James; Efstathiou, Jason A.; FitzGerald, T.J.; Hurkmans, Coen; Ibbott, Geoffrey S.; Lee, J. Jack; Merchant, Thomas E.; Michalski, Jeff; Palta, Jatinder R.; Simon, Richard; Ten Haken, Randal K.; Timmerman, Robert; Tunis, Sean; Coleman, C. Norman; and others
Purpose: In the context of national calls for reorganizing cancer clinical trials, the National Cancer Institute sponsored a 2-day workshop to examine challenges and opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy quality assurance (QA) in clinical trial design. Methods and Materials: Participants reviewed the current processes of clinical trial QA and noted the QA challenges presented by advanced technologies. The lessons learned from the radiotherapy QA programs of recent trials were discussed in detail. Four potential opportunities for optimizing radiotherapy QA were explored, including the use of normal tissue toxicity and tumor control metrics, biomarkers of radiation toxicity, new radiotherapy modalities such as proton beam therapy, and the international harmonization of clinical trial QA. Results: Four recommendations were made: (1) to develop a tiered (and more efficient) system for radiotherapy QA and tailor the intensity of QA to the clinical trial objectives (tiers include general credentialing, trial-specific credentialing, and individual case review); (2) to establish a case QA repository; (3) to develop an evidence base for clinical trial QA and introduce innovative prospective trial designs to evaluate radiotherapy QA in clinical trials; and (4) to explore the feasibility of consolidating clinical trial QA in the United States. Conclusion: Radiotherapy QA can affect clinical trial accrual, cost, outcomes, and generalizability. To achieve maximum benefit, QA programs must become more efficient and evidence-based.
Cohen, Frank
It's OK to be lucky when you're lucky, but it's not OK when the issues are critical. Too often, we manage by anecdote, which is OK when you can afford to be wrong, but when finances are tight, or the market is overregulated, or a lot is at stake, making mistakes is not an option. Evidence-based management depends on attention to three components: analytics, decision making, and problem solving. These are skills that should be required of everyone who assumes a management position, no matter how high or low one is on the totem pole. Understanding basic analytical techniques, knowing how to apply these techniques to making good decisions, and learning how to become a skilled problem solver ensure that, when we manage our businesses, we minimize the risk of mistakes and maximize the potential for positive outcomes. PMID:22594062
Impact of a Multifaceted and Clinically Integrated Training Program in Evidence-Based Practice on Knowledge, Skills, Beliefs and Behaviour among Clinical Instructors in Physiotherapy: A Non-Randomized Controlled Study
Olsen, Nina Rydland; Bradley, Peter; Espehaug, Birgitte; Nortvedt, Monica Wammen; Lygren, Hildegunn; Frisk, Bente; Bjordal, Jan Magnus
Background and Purpose Physiotherapists practicing at clinical placement sites assigned the role as clinical instructors (CIs), are responsible for supervising physiotherapy students. For CIs to role model evidence-based practice (EBP) they need EBP competence. The aim of this study was to assess the short and long term impact of a six-month multifaceted and clinically integrated training program in EBP on the knowledge, skills, beliefs and behaviour of CIs supervising physiotherapy students. Methods We invited 37 CIs to participate in this non-randomized controlled study. Three self-administered questionnaires were used pre- and post-intervention, and at six-month follow-up: 1) The Adapted Fresno test (AFT), 2) the EBP Belief Scale and 3) the EBP Implementation Scale. The analysis approach was linear regression modeling using Generalized Estimating Equations. Results In total, 29 CIs agreed to participate in the study: 14 were invited to participate in the intervention group and 15 were invited to participate in the control group. One in the intervention group and five in the control group were lost to follow-up. At follow-up, the group difference was statistically significant for the AFT (mean difference = 37, 95% CI (15.9 -58.1), p<0.001) and the EBP Beliefs scale (mean difference = 8.1, 95% CI (3.1 -13.2), p = 0.002), but not for the EBP Implementation scale (mean difference = 1.8. 95% CI (-4.5-8.1), p = 0.574). Comparing measurements over time, we found a statistically significant increase in mean scores related to all outcome measures for the intervention group only. Conclusions A multifaceted and clinically integrated training program in EBP was successful in improving EBP knowledge, skills and beliefs among CIs. Future studies need to ensure long-term EBP behaviour change, in addition to assessing CIs' abilities to apply EBP knowledge and skills when supervising students. PMID:25894559
Evidence-based guidelines: Improving AGREEment on consistence evaluation
Vincenzi, Bruno; Napolitano, Andrea; Santini, Daniele; Maiello, Evaristo; Torri, Valter; Tonini, Giuseppe
Modern clinical practice relies on evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based guidelines (EBGs). The critical evaluation of EBGs value is therefore an essential step to further improve clinical practice. In our opinion, correlating levels of evidence and grades of recommendation can be an easy tool to quickly display internal consistence of EBGs. PMID:26909252
Risk Assessment: Evidence Base
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Johnson-Throop, Kathy A.
Human systems PRA (Probabilistic Risk Assessment: a) Provides quantitative measures of probability, consequence, and uncertainty; and b) Communicates risk and informs decision-making. Human health risks rated highest in ISS PRA are based on 1997 assessment of clinical events in analog operational settings. Much work remains to analyze remaining human health risks identified in Bioastronautics Roadmap.
Evidence-Based Practice and Chiropractic Care
LeFebvre, Ron; Peterson, David; Haas, Mitchell
Evidence-based practice has had a growing impact on chiropractic education and the delivery of chiropractic care. For evidence-based practice to penetrate and transform a profession, the penetration must occur at 2 levels. One level is the degree to which individual practitioners possess the willingness and basic skills to search and assess the literature. Chiropractic education received a significant boost in this realm in 2005 when the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine awarded 4 chiropractic institutions R25 education grants to strengthen their research/evidence-based practice curricula. The second level relates to whether the therapeutic interventions commonly employed by a particular health care discipline are supported by clinical research. A growing body of randomized controlled trials provides evidence of the effectiveness and safety of manual therapies. PMID:23875117
Evidence-Based Language Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pollock, Eric J.
The purpose of this paper was to examine evidence-based procedures in medicine and to demonstrate that the same protocols can be used in English language instruction. In the evidence-based methodology, studies are divided into those that address specific language problems. Integrated studies are presented as a systematic overview, meta-analysis,…
Evidence-Based Integrative Dermatology
Narahari, Saravu R; Prasanna, Kodimoole S; Sushma, Kandathu V
American recognition for medical pluralism arrived in 1991. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine was established under the National Institutes of Health in 1998. Following this, patients and researchers began exploring use of integrative medicine. Terence Ryan with Gerry Bodeker in Europe, Brian Berman in America, and the Indian council of Medical Research advocated traditional medicine and integrative medicine. The Institute of Applied Dermatology (IAD), Kerala has developed integrated allopathic (biomedical) and ayurvedic therapies to treat Lymphatic Filariasis, Lichen planus, and Vitiligo. Studies conducted at the IAD have created a framework for evidence-based and integrative dermatology (ID). This paper gives an overview of advances in ID with an example of Lichen Planus, which was examined jointly by dermatologists and Ayurveda doctors. The clinical presentation in these patients was listed in a vikruthi table of comparable biomedical terms. A vikruthi table was used for drug selection in ayurvedic dermatology. A total of 19 patients were treated with ayurvedic prescriptions to normalize the vatha-kapha for 3 months. All patients responded and no side effects were recorded. In spite of advancing knowledge on ID, several challenges remain for its use on difficult to treat chronic skin diseases. The formation of new integrative groups and financial support are essential for the growth of ID in India. PMID:23716802
Clinical Considerations for Insulin Pharmacotherapy in Ambulatory Care, Part Two: Review of Primary Literature and an Evidence-Based Approach for Treatment
Thurston, Maria Miller; Bourg, Catherine A.
IN BRIEF This article reinforces the dosing guidance from the package inserts of available insulin products and supplemental information provided by the manufacturers of insulin products. It reviews and evaluates pertinent primary literature detailing algorithms for the initiation and titration of insulin therapy that have helped to shape current clinical practice guidelines. The article discusses the clinical applicability of the evidence on insulin pharmacotherapy and offers recommendations for initiation and titration of various insulin products for insulin-requiring people with type 2 diabetes in the ambulatory care setting. PMID:25653469
Evidence-based concepts and procedures for bonded inlays and onlays. Part I. Historical perspectives and clinical rationale for a biosubstitutive approach.
Dietschi, Didier; Spreafico, Roberto
This first article in the series (Part I) aims to present an updated rationale and treatment approach for indirect adhesive posterior restorations based on the best scientific and long-term clinical evidence available. The proposed treatment concept relies on the basic ideas of (1) the placement of an adhesive base/liner (Dual Bonding [DB] and Cavity Design Optimization [CDO]) and, when needed, (2) a simultaneous relocation of deep cervical margins (Cervical Margin Relocation [CMR]), prior to (3) impression taking to ensure a more conservative preparation and easier-to-follow clinical steps, and the use of (4) a highly filled, light-curing restorative material for the cementation (Controlled Adhesive Cementation [CAC]), together with restoration insertion facilitation, the application of sonic/ultrasonic energy, and/or material heating. The suggested clinical protocol will help the practitioner to eliminate the most frequently experienced difficulties relating to the preparation, isolation, impression taking and cementation of tooth-colored inlays and onlays. This protocol can be applied to both ceramics and composites as no material has been proven to be the most feasible or reliable in all clinical indications regarding its physicochemical and handling characteristics. For the time being, however, we have to regard such indirect restorations as a biosubstitution due to the monolithic nature of the restoration, with still very imperfect replication of the specific natural dentin-enamel assemblage. PMID:25874270
Teaching Evidence-based Medical Care: Description and Evaluation.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Grad, Roland; Macaulay, Ann C.; Warner, Michelle
Describes and evaluates a teaching initiative in evidence-based medical care in McGill University's family practice residency program. Discusses results of pre- and post-course self-assessments by students, which indicated significant increases in skill at formulating clinical questions and searching for evidence-based answers, appraising reviews,…
Heparin prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis in a patient with multiple injuries: an evidence-based approach to a clinical problem
Hill, Andrew B.; Garber, Brian; Dervin, Geoffrey; Howard, Andrew
Objective To demonstrate a clinical decision-making process by which to determine if heparin prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is appropriate in a specific patient with multiple injuries. Data sources A Medline search of the literature. Search terms included trauma, heparin, deep venous thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, phlebitis, and trauma. Study selection Eleven studies were selected from 789 publications using published criteria. Incidence, risk and potential for prophylaxis were established through a structured review process. Data extraction After the structured review, a small number of studies were available for the consideration of incidence (2), natural history (4) and prophylactic therapy (2). Data synthesis The incidence of DVT in a patient with such multiple injuries is significant (58%–63%). The resulting risk of pulmonary embolism was 4.3% with an associated 20% death rate. Prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin is associated with a statistically and clinically significant risk reduction for DVT when compared with unfractionated heparin and untreated controls. Conclusions Few of the multiple available studies concerning trauma, DVT and pulmonary embolism meet reasonable standards to establish clinical validity. Available guidelines for literature evaluation allow surgeons to select relevant articles for consideration. Patients with multiple trauma appear to be at significant risk for DVT. The death rate associated with subsequent pulmonary embolism is significant. There is reasonably good evidence to suggest that low molecular weight heparin will reduce this likelihood without a significant risk of treatment complications. PMID:12174986
[Strategy for promoting evidence-based nursing practice in hospital].
Chen, Yu-Chih; Tang, Lee-Chun; Chou, Shin-Shang
Evidence-based practice has been demonstrated to improve quality of care, increase patients' satisfaction, and reduce the costs of medical care. Therefore, evidence-based practice is now central to the clinical decision-making process and to achieving better quality of care. Today, it is one of the important indicators of core competences for healthcare providers and accreditation for healthcare and educational systems. Further, evidence-based practice encourages in-school and continuous education programs to integrate evidence-based elements and concepts into curricula. Healthcare facilities and professional organizations proactively host campaigns and encourage healthcare providers to participate in evidence-based related training courses. However, the clinical evidence-based practice progress is slow. The general lack of a model for organizational follow-up may be a key factor associated with the slow adoption phenomenon. The authors provide a brief introduction to the evidence-based practice model, then described how it may be successfully translated through a staged process into the evidence-based practices of organizational cultures. This article may be used as a reference by healthcare facilities to promote evidence-based nursing practice. PMID:24096462
NCLEX-RN success: evidence-based strategies.
Thomas, Marie H; Baker, Susan Scott
Evidence-based nursing requires that students think reflectively and use clinical inquiry to develop clinical reasoning and decision-making skills. Likewise, nursing students need a strategy to be successful in passing the NCLEX-RN. The authors identify strategies based on nursing research to facilitate student success. While learning the evidence-based nursing process, the student must begin to think like a nurse while answering clinical practice questions. Using the skills taught for evidence-based nursing can be a powerful tool to approach the NCLEX-RN and succeed. PMID:22024676
Laboratory survey and literature review of anaerobic bacteriology: foundations of a clinically orientated and evidence-based workup for anaerobic cultures.
Peeters, Bart; Magerman, Koen; Waumans, Luc; Cartuyvels, Reinoud
Since the introduction of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in routine microbiology laboratories, identification of anaerobic bacteria has become easier. These increased possibilities provide new challenges concerning analytical workup and reporting of anaerobes. In February 2015, an extensive web-based survey on pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical procedures of anaerobic microbiology was sent to 53 Belgian, university and non-university hospital laboratories. Answers of 34 participating laboratories revealed a huge diversity in all analytical stages of anaerobic microbiology. Whether or not colony types were identified was mainly based on anatomical origin of the sample, colony morphology, and total number of different anaerobic isolates in the sample, while reporting of isolate results and performing anti-microbial susceptibility testing was mainly based on anatomical origin of the sample, number of different anaerobic isolates, and the identification of the anaerobic bacteria. These variety of workup procedures were mainly expert-based and have not been extensively clinically validated. For this reason, a standardized, clinically orientated, and feasible procedure for the workup of anaerobic cultures was developed, using MALDI-TOF MS identification, based upon literature data and existing guidelines. PMID:27344540
Efficacy of a modern neuroscience approach versus usual care evidence-based physiotherapy on pain, disability and brain characteristics in chronic spinal pain patients: protocol of a randomized clinical trial
Background Among the multiple conservative modalities, physiotherapy is a commonly utilized treatment modality in managing chronic non-specific spinal pain. Despite the scientific progresses with regard to pain and motor control neuroscience, treatment of chronic spinal pain (CSP) often tends to stick to a peripheral biomechanical model, without targeting brain mechanisms. With a view to enhance clinical efficacy of existing physiotherapeutic treatments for CSP, the development of clinical strategies targeted at 'training the brain' is to be pursued. Promising proof-of-principle results have been reported for the effectiveness of a modern neuroscience approach to CSP when compared to usual care, but confirmation is required in a larger, multi-center trial with appropriate evidence-based control intervention and long-term follow-up. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a modern neuroscience approach, compared to usual care evidence-based physiotherapy, for reducing pain and improving functioning in patients with CSP. A secondary objective entails examining the effectiveness of the modern neuroscience approach versus usual care physiotherapy for normalizing brain gray matter in patients with CSP. Methods/Design The study is a multi-center, triple-blind, two-arm (1:1) randomized clinical trial with 1-year follow-up. 120 CSP patients will be randomly allocated to either the experimental (receiving pain neuroscience education followed by cognition-targeted motor control training) or the control group (receiving usual care physiotherapy), each comprising of 3 months treatment. The main outcome measures are pain (including symptoms and indices of central sensitization) and self-reported disability. Secondary outcome measures include brain gray matter structure, motor control, muscle properties, and psychosocial correlates. Clinical assessment and brain imaging will be performed at baseline, post-treatment and at 1-year follow-up. Web
Applying psychological theories to evidence-based clinical practice: identifying factors predictive of lumbar spine x-ray for low back pain in UK primary care practice
Background Psychological models predict behaviour in a wide range of settings. The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of a range of psychological models to predict the health professional behaviour 'referral for lumbar spine x-ray in patients presenting with low back pain' by UK primary care physicians. Methods Psychological measures were collected by postal questionnaire survey from a random sample of primary care physicians in Scotland and north England. The outcome measures were clinical behaviour (referral rates for lumbar spine x-rays), behavioural simulation (lumbar spine x-ray referral decisions based upon scenarios), and behavioural intention (general intention to refer for lumbar spine x-rays in patients with low back pain). Explanatory variables were the constructs within the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Common Sense Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM), Operant Learning Theory (OLT), Implementation Intention (II), Weinstein's Stage Model termed the Precaution Adoption Process (PAP), and knowledge. For each of the outcome measures, a generalised linear model was used to examine the predictive value of each theory individually. Linear regression was used for the intention and simulation outcomes, and negative binomial regression was used for the behaviour outcome. Following this 'theory level' analysis, a 'cross-theoretical construct' analysis was conducted to investigate the combined predictive value of all individual constructs across theories. Results Constructs from TPB, SCT, CS-SRM, and OLT predicted behaviour; however, the theoretical models did not fit the data well. When predicting behavioural simulation, the proportion of variance explained by individual theories was TPB 11.6%, SCT 12.1%, OLT 8.1%, and II 1.5% of the variance, and in the cross-theory analysis constructs from TPB, CS-SRM and II explained 16.5% of the variance in simulated behaviours. When predicting intention, the proportion of variance
Consensus evidence-based guidelines for use of insulin pump therapy in the management of diabetes as per Indian clinical practice.
Kesavadev, Jothydev; Jain, Sunil M; Muruganathan, A; Das, Ashok Kumar
The use of insulin pump in diabetes is likely to increase with recent advances in technology. Although the evidence for the superiority of pumps over multiple daily injections (MDI) is inconsistent, data from accumulating uncontrolled studies indicate greater reductions in glycated haemoglobin in patients switching to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) from MDI therapy. Due to the variability in insulin requirements and sensitivity to CSII pumps, hyperglycaemia in these patients is managed by endocrinologists using individualised therapy. A panel of experts reviewed the existing guidelines and framed recommendations specific to the clinical practice in Indian conditions for use of CSII pumps in the management of hyperglycaemia. Selection of right patient with basic education, motivation and learning skills are essential for successful implementation of CSII therapy with sophisticated programmes. Rapid acting insulin analogues with better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile, physical and chemical stability and compatibility with most commercially available insulin pumps are preferred over regular insulin to achieve safe and stable glycaemic control. Further, educating pump users on proper use of CSII pumps, insulin dose adjustments, and handling of accessories are recommended in the current consensus guidelines. Practice of self-monitoring of blood glucose and glycated haemoglobin levels are essential to adjust insulin dosage for the management of diabetes. Use of CSII pumps in special patient populations should be carefully assessed and initiated by endocrinologist. The proposed guidelines can form a basis for use of CSII pumps in the management of hyperglycaemia in the Indian scenario. PMID:25668935
Abciximab in the management of acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation: evidence-based treatment, current clinical use, and future perspectives
Dziewierz, Artur; Rakowski, Tomasz; Dudek, Dariusz
Introduction of antiplatelet agents has contributed substantially to improve the outcome of patients with acute coronary syndromes. Meta-analysis of the studies on abciximab administration during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has clearly confirmed the mortality benefit associated with intravenous bolus and infusion of abciximab compared to placebo. Recently, introduction of new oral P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel, ticagrelor), with a faster and more pronounced antiplatelet effect, have decreased the use of abciximab even in patients with STEMI. However, recent studies have shown a delayed onset of antiplatelet effect of new oral antiplatelet drugs in the setting of STEMI, especially in patients with hemodynamic compromise. Thus, the use of abciximab as an intravenous agent should be strongly considered when oral P2Y12 inhibitors might fail or cannot be given before primary PCI for STEMI. An additional benefit of abciximab administration was reported when abciximab was given early, before primary PCI, compared to typical periprocedural use. To the contrary, no clear clinical benefit was confirmed for intracoronary administration of abciximab compared with intravenous administration. Future studies should focus on the role of abciximab given on top of new oral P2Y12 inhibitor (prasugrel, ticagrelor) or used as an alternative to an intravenous P2Y12 inhibitor (cangrelor). Undoubtedly, the results of these studies will change everyday practice of STEMI treatment. PMID:25071373
Normal childbirth and evidence based practice.
Waldenström, Ulla
This paper was presented at a Health Conference in March 2007, celebrating the 150th birthday of the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne. It discusses the definition of "normal childbirth", and the pros and cons of three medical technologies: caesarean section, epidural analgesia during labour and routine ultrasound screening during pregnancy, and whether clinical practices, in Australia and Sweden (author is Swedish), in relation to these methods are evidence based. It also discusses the impact of non-scientific reasons, such as anxiety, on clinical decision making. PMID:17913612
Parenteral anticoagulants: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines.
Garcia, David A; Baglin, Trevor P; Weitz, Jeffrey I; Samama, Meyer Michel
This article describes the pharmacology of approved parenteral anticoagulants. These include the indirect anticoagulants, unfractionated heparin (UFH), low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs), fondaparinux, and danaparoid, as well as the direct thrombin inhibitors hirudin, bivalirudin, and argatroban. UFH is a heterogeneous mixture of glycosaminoglycans that bind to antithrombin via a unique pentasaccharide sequence and catalyze the inactivation of thrombin, factor Xa, and other clotting enzymes. Heparin also binds to cells and plasma proteins other than antithrombin causing unpredictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and triggering nonhemorrhagic side effects, such as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and osteoporosis. LMWHs have greater inhibitory activity against factor Xa than thrombin and exhibit less binding to cells and plasma proteins than heparin. Consequently, LMWH preparations have more predictable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, have a longer half-life than heparin, and are associated with a lower risk of nonhemorrhagic side effects. LMWHs can be administered once daily or bid by subcutaneous injection, without coagulation monitoring. Based on their greater convenience, LMWHs have replaced UFH for many clinical indications. Fondaparinux, a synthetic pentasaccharide, catalyzes the inhibition of factor Xa, but not thrombin, in an antithrombin-dependent fashion. Fondaparinux binds only to antithrombin. Therefore, fondaparinux-associated HIT or osteoporosis is unlikely to occur. Fondaparinux exhibits complete bioavailability when administered subcutaneously, has a longer half-life than LMWHs, and is given once daily by subcutaneous injection in fixed doses, without coagulation monitoring. Three additional parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors and danaparoid are approved as alternatives to heparin in patients with HIT. PMID:22315264
The clinical utility of serum CA 19-9 in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An evidence based appraisal
Ballehaninna, Umashankar K
Background Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most common tumor marker assessed in pancreatic cancer patients; nevertheless few articles have comprehensively evaluated the evidence for its utility in pancreatic cancer management. Methods Literature search was performed using Medline with keywords "pancreatic cancer", "tumor markers", "CA 19-9", "diagnosis", "screening", "prognosis", "resectability" and "recurrence". All English language articles pertaining to the role of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer were critically analyzed to determine its utility as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer. Results Serum CA 19-9 is the most extensively validated pancreatic cancer biomarker with multiple clinical applications. CA 19-9 serum levels have a sensitivity and specificity of 79-81% and 82-90% respectively for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients; but are not useful as a screening marker because of low positive predictive value (0.5-0.9%). Pre-operative CA 19-9 serum levels provide useful prognostic information as patients with normal levels (<37 U/mL) have a prolonged median survival (32-36 months) compared to patients with elevated levels (>37 U/mL) (12-15 months). A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/mL implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/mL suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease. Normalization or a decrease in post-operative CA 19-9 serum levels by ≥20-50% from baseline following surgical resection or chemotherapy is associated with prolonged survival compared to failure of CA 19-9 serum levels to normalize or an increase. Important limitations to CA 19-9 serum level evaluation in pancreatic cancer include poor sensitivity, false negative results in Lewis negative phenotype (5-10%) and increased false positivity in the presence of obstructive jaundice (10-60%). Conclusions CA 19-9 is the most extensively studied and validated serum biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. CA 19-9 serum
School Centered Evidence Based Accountability
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Milligan, Charles
Achievement scores drive much of the effort in today's accountability system, however, there is much more that occurs in every school, every day. School Centered Evidence Based Accountability can be used from micro to macro giving School Boards and Administration a process for monitoring the results of the entire school operation effectively and…
[Acupressure and Evidence-Based Nursing].
Chen, Li-Li; Lin, Jun-Dai
Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine approach to disease prevention and treatment that may be operated by nurses independently. Therefore, acupressure is being increasingly applied in clinical nursing practice and research. Recently, the implementation of evidence-based nursing (EBN) in clinical practice has been encouraged to promote nursing quality. Evidence-based nursing is a method-ology and process of implementation that applies the best-available evidence to clinical practice, which is acquired through the use of empirical nursing research. Therefore, in this paper, we address the topic of acupressure within the context of empirical nursing practice. We first introduce the current status of acupressure research and provide the locations of common acupoints in order to guide future empirical nursing research and to help nurses use these acupoints in clinical practice. Finally, we describe the steps that are necessary to apply the current empirical information on acupressure as well as provide suggestions to promote safety and efficacy in order to guide nurses in the accurate application of acupressure in nursing practice. PMID:26645442
Evidence-based medicine in health care reform.
Hughes, Gordon B
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandates a national comparative outcomes research project agenda. Comparative effectiveness research includes both clinical trials and observational studies and is facilitated by electronic health records. A national network of electronic health records will create a vast electronic data "warehouse" with exponential growth of observational data. High-quality associations will identify research topics for pragmatic clinical trials, and systematic reviews of clinical trials will provide optimal 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. Thus, health care reform will provide a robust environment for comparative effectiveness research, systematic reviews, and evidence-based medicine, and implementation of evidence-based medicine should lead to improved quality of care. PMID:21860057
[Evidence-based medicine: an epistemological approach].
Henao, Daniel Eduardo; Jaimes, Fabián Alberto
Evidence-based medicine gathers physician's experience and the best scientific evidence to make medical decisions. This proposal has been widely promulgated by medical opinion leaders. Despite a large literature supporting this practice, a formal discussion has not been established regarding its epistemological consequences in daily medical work. The main proposal of evidence-based medicine consists of choosing the best medical decision according to the best available results from scientific studies. Herein, the goal was to highlight inappropriate application of the scientific method used by physics to clinical science. The inaccuracy resides in describing health and disease in strictly numeric equivalents that can be homogenized on a continuous scale. Finally, the authors consider each diseased human being as a complex system, unique and particular, and that this being is defined by an historical background as well as current actual context. Therefore, evidence-based medicine possesses certain limitations that must be recognized in order to to provide better health care to patients. PMID:19753837
Evidence-based ethics? On evidence-based practice and the "empirical turn" from normative bioethics
Goldenberg, Maya J
Background The increase in empirical methods of research in bioethics over the last two decades is typically perceived as a welcomed broadening of the discipline, with increased integration of social and life scientists into the field and ethics consultants into the clinical setting, however it also represents a loss of confidence in the typical normative and analytic methods of bioethics. Discussion The recent incipiency of "Evidence-Based Ethics" attests to this phenomenon and should be rejected as a solution to the current ambivalence toward the normative resolution of moral problems in a pluralistic society. While "evidence-based" is typically read in medicine and other life and social sciences as the empirically-adequate standard of reasonable practice and a means for increasing certainty, I propose that the evidence-based movement in fact gains consensus by displacing normative discourse with aggregate or statistically-derived empirical evidence as the "bottom line". Therefore, along with wavering on the fact/value distinction, evidence-based ethics threatens bioethics' normative mandate. The appeal of the evidence-based approach is that it offers a means of negotiating the demands of moral pluralism. Rather than appealing to explicit values that are likely not shared by all, "the evidence" is proposed to adjudicate between competing claims. Quantified measures are notably more "neutral" and democratic than liberal markers like "species normal functioning". Yet the positivist notion that claims stand or fall in light of the evidence is untenable; furthermore, the legacy of positivism entails the quieting of empirically non-verifiable (or at least non-falsifiable) considerations like moral claims and judgments. As a result, evidence-based ethics proposes to operate with the implicit normativity that accompanies the production and presentation of all biomedical and scientific facts unchecked. Summary The "empirical turn" in bioethics signals a need for
Evidence-based care and the case for intuition and tacit knowledge in clinical assessment and decision making in mental health nursing practice: an empirical contribution to the debate.
Welsh, I; Lyons, C M
This paper provides empirical evidence that challenges the view that methods of clinical assessment and decision making should not rely solely on logical positivist approaches. Whilst the National Health Service (NHS) Executive currently takes a hard positivist line on what constitutes evidence-based practice, data reveal that it is not always appropriate to disregard the tacit knowledge and intuition of experienced practitioners when making assessment decisions in mental health nursing practice. Data support the case for a holistic approach which may draw on intuition and tacit knowledge, as well as traditional approaches, to meet the requirements of clients with complex mental health problems. A model based on Schon's notion of reflection in and reflection on practice is proposed which demonstrates the value of intuition and tacit knowledge. This model allows the generation of insights which may ultimately be demonstrated to be acceptable and empirically testable. It is accepted that an element of risk taking is inevitable, but the inclusion of a formal analytical process into the model reduces the likelihood of inappropriate care interventions. The cognitive processes which experienced nurses use to make clinical decisions and their implications for practice will be explored. PMID:11882142
Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine for Hypertension
Wang, Jie; Xiong, Xingjiang
Hypertension is an important worldwide public -health challenge with high mortality and disability. Due to the limitations and concerns with current available hypertension treatments, many hypertensive patients, especially in Asia, have turned to Chinese medicine (CM). Although hypertension is not a CM term, physicians who practice CM in China attempt to treat the disease using CM principles. A variety of approaches for treating hypertension have been taken in CM. For seeking the best evidence of CM in making decisions for hypertensive patients, a number of clinical studies have been conducted in China, which has paved the evidence-based way. After literature searching and analyzing, it appeared that CM was effective for hypertension in clinical use, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, qigong, and Tai Chi. However, due to the poor quality of primary studies, clinical evidence is still weak. The potential benefits and safety of CM for hypertension still need to be confirmed in the future with well-designed RCTs of more persuasive primary endpoints and high-quality SRs. Evidence-based Chinese medicine for hypertension still has a long way to go. PMID:23861720
Evidence-based chinese medicine for hypertension.
Wang, Jie; Xiong, Xingjiang
Hypertension is an important worldwide public -health challenge with high mortality and disability. Due to the limitations and concerns with current available hypertension treatments, many hypertensive patients, especially in Asia, have turned to Chinese medicine (CM). Although hypertension is not a CM term, physicians who practice CM in China attempt to treat the disease using CM principles. A variety of approaches for treating hypertension have been taken in CM. For seeking the best evidence of CM in making decisions for hypertensive patients, a number of clinical studies have been conducted in China, which has paved the evidence-based way. After literature searching and analyzing, it appeared that CM was effective for hypertension in clinical use, such as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, qigong, and Tai Chi. However, due to the poor quality of primary studies, clinical evidence is still weak. The potential benefits and safety of CM for hypertension still need to be confirmed in the future with well-designed RCTs of more persuasive primary endpoints and high-quality SRs. Evidence-based Chinese medicine for hypertension still has a long way to go. PMID:23861720
The Outcomes Movement and Evidence Based Medicine in Plastic Surgery
Kowalski, Evan.; Chung, Kevin C.
Synopsis Evidence based medicine is analyzed from its inception. The authors take the reader through the early formation of 'scientific medicine' that has evolved into the multi-purpose tool it has become today. Early proponents and their intentions that sparked evidence base and outcomes are presented: the work of David Sackett, Brian Haynes, Peter Tugwell, and Victor Neufeld is discussed - how they perceived the need for better clinical outcomes that led to a more formalized evidence based practice. The fundamentals are discussed objectively in detail and potential flaws are presented that guide the reader to deeper comprehension. PMID:23506764
Development and evaluation of online evidence based guideline bank system.
Park, Myonghwa
The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the online evidence-based nursing practice guideline bank system to support the best evidence-based decision in the clinical and community practice settings. The main homepage consisted of seven modules for introduction of site, EBN, guideline bank, guideline development, guideline review, related sites, and community. The major contents in the guidelines were purpose, developer, intended audience, method of development, target population, testing, knowledge components, and evaluation. Electronic versions of the guidelines were displayed by XML, PDF, and PDA versions. The system usability were evaluated by general users, guideline developers, and guideline reviewers on the web and the results showed high scores of satisfaction. This online evidence-based guideline bank system could support nurses' best and cost-effective clinical decision using the sharable standardized guidelines with education module of evidence based nursing. PMID:17102227
[Philosophical background of evidence-based medicine].
Kwon, Sang-Ok
Through the whole history of medicine, there runs a long struggle between two principal tendencies - empiricism and rationalism. The empirical trend lays its emphasis on "experience" for the cure of the sick. The rationalistic trend lays its main emphasis on "mechanism" for the causes of diseases. The term "evidence-based (EBM)", defined as "the conscious, explicit and judicious use of the best current evidence in making decisions about the individual patients", was introduced about ten years ago. The proponents has been described EBM as a "paradigm shift" that will change medical practice in the years ahead. But there has been considerable debate about the value of EBM. The modern medicine, following philosophy of modern science such as the 'realism controlled by empiricism', has developed biomedical model. But the EBM wrapped with clinical epidemiology and statistics, represents response of empiricism to the rationalism (realism). The roots of EBM extend back at least as far as the Paris clinical school, and the work of Pierre Louis in Paris in the early 19th century.Is EBM a paradigm shift? To answer this question, we have to specify the alternative with which we are comparing EBM. The alternative to EBM is the basic science approach: studying the pathophysiological mechanism of the body. But EBM is so clearly intertwined with and complementary to the basic science that it would make little sense to see EBM as a paradigm shift away from basic science. In a sense, evidence-based medicine shows only methodological contribution aimed at improving the gathering and sorting of the best information published by biomedical scientists and clinical epidemiologists for use in clinical practice. Although EBM and the traditional medicine embody different approaches, this does not mean that they are competitors. In fact, the two approach need each; neither can stand alone for the development of clinical practice. PMID:15726761
Oncology Nursing Is Evidence-Based Care.
Kennedy Sheldon, Lisa; Brown, Carlton G
This issue of the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) will be the final time that you will see the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) feature column. Why? Because we have seen oncology nursing evolve in the past 20 years and EBP is everywhere! We use it in our clinics and hospital units, incorporate it into decisions about symptom management, and use evidence to develop survivorship guidelines. We discuss EBP in journal clubs and use applications on mobile devices to find the best interventions for our patients. We have oncology nurses sitting on committees to develop guidelines based on the best evidence and expert opinion. We have come a long way and it is our belief that EBP is included in almost every article in CJON and, therefore, a need no longer exists for an individual column about EBP. . PMID:27206287
Underdetermination in evidence-based medicine.
Chin-Yee, Benjamin H
This article explores the philosophical implications of evidence-based medicine's (EBM's) epistemology in terms of the problem of underdetermination of theory by evidence as expounded by the Duhem-Quine thesis. EBM hierarchies of evidence privilege clinical research over basic science, exacerbating the problem of underdetermination. Because of severe underdetermination, EBM is unable to meaningfully test core medical beliefs that form the basis of our understanding of disease and therapeutics. As a result, EBM adopts an epistemic attitude that is sceptical of explanations from the basic biological sciences, and is relegated to a view of disease at a population level. EBM's epistemic attitude provides a limited research heuristic by preventing the development of a theoretical framework required for understanding disease mechanism and integrating knowledge to develop new therapies. Medical epistemology should remain pluralistic and include complementary approaches of basic science and clinical research, thus avoiding the limited epistemic attitude entailed by EBM hierarchies. PMID:25406418
Using Family Paradigms to Improve Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hidecker, Mary Jo Cooley; Jones, Rebecca S.; Imig, David R.; Villarruel, Francisco A.
Purpose: Evidence-based practice (EBP) describes clinical decision making using research, clinical experience, and client values. For family-centered practices, the client's family is integral to this process. This article proposes that using family paradigms, a family science framework, may help elicit and understand client/family values within…
Evidence-Based Youth Psychotherapy in the Mental Health Ecosystem
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Weisz, John R.; Ugueto, Ana M.; Cheron, Daniel M.; Herren, Jenny
Five decades of randomized trials research have produced dozens of evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for youths. The EBPs produce respectable effects in traditional efficacy trials, but the effects shrink markedly when EBPs are tested in practice contexts with clinically referred youths and compared to usual clinical care. We considered why…
Evidence-based Science Communication
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kahan, D.
This presentation will describe a concrete strategy for bridging the gap between the *science* of science communication and the practice of it. In recent years, social scientists have made substantial progress in identifying the psychological influences that shape public receptivity to scientific information relating to climate change and other public policy issues. That work, however, has consisted nearly entirely of laboratory experiments and public opinion surveys; these methods identify general mechanisms of information processing but do not yield concrete prescriptions for communication in field settings. In order to integrate the findings of the science of science communication with the practice of it, field communication must now be made into a meaningful site of science communication research. "Evidence-based science communication" will involve collaborative work between social scientists and practitioners aimed at formulating and testing scientifically informed communication strategies in real-world contexts.
Hinojosa, Jim
Many occupational therapy practitioners consider evidence-based practice (EBP) to be the means by which occupational therapy can prove the validity of its services and thus support the legitimacy of our profession. The unquestioned acceptance of EBP as the way to establish credibility concerns me; unchallenged acceptance of any idea concerns me. Do practitioners accept EBP as the paradigm for guiding occupational therapy practice and research solely because it is presented as what we must do? I believe that practitioners must examine the implications for our profession of accepting EBP without question. In this article, I review EBP, present criticisms and concerns voiced by other professions and, finally, examine the implications of adopting an EBP perspective that replaces theory-directed practice. PMID:23433283
Evidence-based medicine: applications in dietetic practice.
Gray, Gregory E; Gray, Lorraine K
Evidence-based medicine has been defined as "the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients." Evidence-based practice requires the ability to apply knowledge of medical informatics (eg, efficiently searching the medical literature) and clinical epidemiology (eg, being able to critically appraise the literature) to the treatment of individual patients. Being able to apply the principles of evidence-based medicine in the dietetic practice adds to the credibility and value of dietetics professionals, is consistent with the dietetic code of ethics, and is empowering. This article provides an introduction to the history, philosophy, and methods of evidence-based medicine as applied to the dietetic practice. This article focuses on a 5-step process to finding the best evidence to answer clinical questions: (a) formulate the question, (b) search for answers, (c) appraise the evidence, (d) apply the results, and (e) assess the outcome. We describe the 4S methodology-a systematic approach to efficiently finding the best evidence to answer clinical questions involving the use of systems (comprehensive, evidence-based resources), synopses (compilations of structured abstracts of high-quality studies), syntheses (systematic reviews), and studies (original research articles). Particular emphasis is given to a method for critically appraising papers that emphasizes validity, importance, and clinical applicability. Resources (including Web sites) for further learning are provided. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:1263-1272. PMID:12792624
Time for evidence-based cytology
Dey, Pranab
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a fashionable and an extremely hot topic for clinicians, patients and the health service planners. Evidence-based cytology (EBC) is an offshoot of EBM. The EBC is concerned with generating a reproducible, high quality and clinically relevant test result in the field of cytology. This is a rapidly evolving area with high practical importance. EBC is based entirely on research data. The various professional bodies on cytology design and recommend guidelines on the basis of evidences. Once the guideline is implemented and practiced then the experiences of the practicing cytopathologists may be used as a feed back to alter the existing guideline. The various facets of EBC are sampling and specimen adequacy, morphological identification and computer based expert system, integrated reporting, identification of the controversial areas and high quality researches for evidences. It is the duty of the individuals and institutions to practice EBC for better diagnosis and management of the patients. In this present paper, the various aspects of EBC have been discussed. PMID:17210074
Evidence-based Practice of Radiology.
Lavelle, Lisa P; Dunne, Ruth M; Carroll, Anne G; Malone, Dermot E
Current health care reform in the United States is producing a shift in radiology practice from the traditional volume-based role of performing and interpreting a large number of examinations to providing a more affordable and higher-quality service centered on patient outcomes, which is described as a value-based approach to the provision of health care services. In the 1990 s, evidence-based medicine was defined as the integration of current best evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. When these methods are applied outside internal medicine, the process is called evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP facilitates understanding, interpretation, and application of the best current evidence into radiology practice, which optimizes patient care. It has been incorporated into "Practice-based Learning and Improvement" and "Systems-based Practice," which are two of the six core resident competencies of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and two of the 12 American Board of Radiology milestones for diagnostic radiology. Noninterpretive skills, such as systems-based practice, are also formally assessed in the "Quality and Safety" section of the American Board of Radiology Core and Certifying examinations. This article describes (a) the EBP framework, with particular focus on its relevance to the American Board of Radiology certification and maintenance of certification curricula; (b) how EBP can be integrated into a residency program; and (c) the current value and likely place of EBP in the radiology information technology infrastructure. Online supplemental material is available for this article. PMID:26466187
Who needs evidence-based health care?
Tsafrir, J; Grinberg, M
The vast amount of published material in clinical and biomedical sciences, and conflicting results on diagnostic and therapeutic procedures may introduce doubts in decision-making for patient care. Information retrieving skills and the critical appraisal of published literature, together with elaboration of practice guidelines based on epidemiological methodology, form the basis of the trend towards evidence-based health care, which aims to overcome these problems. A survey conducted by questionnaire at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center analyzed which types of information sources are considered most relevant and useful for patient care by a cross-section of physicians with varying degrees of experience. They considered review articles and meta-analyses extremely reliable for information purposes, while for practical patient-care purposes they tended to rely more on the opinions of peers and experts. As the requirements of evidence-based health care may influence the attitudes of clinicians to the published literature and its evaluation, they have implications for medical libraries and information centers. Specifically, information specialists will be called upon more and more to impart information-retrieval and critical appraisal skills to clinicians. The involvement of information specialists in information gathering and selection will provide added value to the expertise and knowledge of in-house experts for decision-making. PMID:9549011
Clinical evidence continuous medical education: a randomised educational trial of an open access e-learning program for transferring evidence-based information – ICEKUBE (Italian Clinical Evidence Knowledge Utilization Behaviour Evaluation) – study protocol
Moja, Lorenzo; Moschetti, Ivan; Cinquini, Michela; Sala, Valeria; Compagnoni, Anna; Duca, Piergiorgio; Deligant, Christian; Manfrini, Roberto; Clivio, Luca; Satolli, Roberto; Addis, Antonio; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Dri, Pietro; Liberati, Alessandro
Background In an effort to ensure that all physicians have access to valid and reliable evidence on drug effectiveness, the Italian Drug Agency sponsored a free-access e-learning system, based on Clinical Evidence, called ECCE. Doctors have access to an electronic version and related clinical vignettes. Correct answers to the interactive vignettes provide Continuing Medical Education credits. The aims of this trial are to establish whether the e-learning program (ECCE) increases physicians' basic knowledge about common clinical scenarios, and whether ECCE is superior to the passive diffusion of information through the printed version of Clinical Evidence. Design All Italian doctors naïve to ECCE will be randomised to three groups. Group one will have access to ECCE for Clinical Evidence chapters and vignettes lot A and will provide control data for Clinical Evidence chapters and vignettes lot B; group two vice versa; group three will receive the concise printed version of Clinical Evidence. There are in fact two designs: a before and after pragmatic trial utilising a two by two incomplete block design (group one versus group two) and a classical design (group one and two versus group three). The primary outcome will be the retention of Clinical Evidence contents assessed from the scores for clinical vignettes selected from ECCE at least six months after the intervention. To avoid test-retest effects, we will randomly select vignettes out of lot A and lot B, avoiding repetitions. In order to preserve the comparability of lots, we will select vignettes with similar, optimal psychometric characteristics. Trial registration ISRCTN27453314 PMID:18637189
Evidence-Based Health Care: A New Approach to Teaching the Practice of Health Care.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Journal of Dental Education, 1994
Evidence-based health care, in which practitioners use technology to access medical databases in solving clinical problems, is seen as a major step in improving clinical diagnosis and treatment. Role-modeling, practice, and teaching of evidence-based health care require new skills of clinical teachers in addition to traditional teaching skills.…
Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine: Is It Working in Practice?
Price, Christopher P
The principles of Evidence-Based Medicine have been established for about two decades, with the need for evidence-based clinical practice now being accepted in most health systems around the world. These principles can be employed in laboratory medicine. The key steps in evidence-based practice, namely (i) formulating the question; (ii) searching for evidence; (iii) appraising evidence; (iv) applying evidence; and (v) assessing the experience are all accepted but, as yet, translation into daily clinical and laboratory practice has been slow. Furthermore, the demand for evidence-based laboratory medicine (EBLM) has been slow to develop. There are many contrasting observations about laboratory medicine, for example (i) there is too much testing vs insufficient testing; (ii) testing is expensive vs laboratories are expected to generate income; and (iii) test results have little impact on outcomes vs test results are crucial to clinical decision making. However, there is little evidence to support any of these observations. Integrating the principles of EBLM into routine practice will help to resolve some of these issues by identifying (a) where laboratory medicine fits into the care pathway; (b) where testing is appropriate; (c) the nature and quality of evidence required to demonstrate the clinical utility of a test; (d) how the test result impacts on clinical actions; (e) where changes in the care pathway will occur; and (f) where benefit/value can be achieved. These answers will help to establish the culture of EBLM in clinical and laboratory practice. PMID:22363094
[Evidence based medicine for the gastroenterologist].
Curioso, Walter H; Montori, Víctor M; Curioso, Walter I
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) integrates the best available external evidence in the care of individual patients with the individual clinical expertise and the patient preferences. This method has been designed for use in daily clinical practice. We describe the rationale for EBM and its principles and application in this article. EBM enables gastroenterologists to update the knowledge required to provide patients with high quality medical care. EBM requires four steps: a) formulating a clinical question arising from a doubt concerning a patient; b) conducting an efficient literature search to answer this question; c) critically appraising this evidence using explicit methods to selected articles to determine the validity of their design and the clinical relevance of their results; and d) applying these results to the patient (taking into account their values and preferences and personal and social circumstances). In this paper, we explain the principles and basic concepts of EBM and their application to gastroenterology and we provide an extensive compilation of internet databases of valid information relevant to gastroenterologists. We also provide a selection of useful tools for self-directed learning of critical appraisal skills. Link updates can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.enlacesmedicos.com/e.htm PMID:15098043
Evidence Based Order Sets as a Nursing Care Planning System
LaCrosse, Lisa M.; Heermann, Judith; Azevedo, Karen; Sorrentino, Catherine; Straub, Dawn; O'Dowd, Gloria
The process for developing the nursing care planning (NCP) function for integration into a clinical information system (CIS) will be described. This NCP system uses evidence based order sets or interventions that are specific to a problem with associated patient focused goals or outcomes. The problem, order set, goal framework will eventually be used by all disciplines in the patient focused record.
Evidence-Based Practice Empowers Practitioners: A Response to Epstein
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rubin, Allen
Epstein makes a strong argument for the value of clinical data mining (CDM), although he minimizes some of the potential limitations in that methodology, such as attrition. Epstein's portrayal of evidence-based practice (EBP) as practitioner-bashing and treasuring intervention manuals overlooks the emphasis in the EBP process on the need for…
Critical Thinking: Knowledge and Skills for Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Finn, Patrick
Purpose: I respond to Kamhi's (2011) conclusion in his article "Balancing Certainty and Uncertainty in Clinical Practice" that rational or critical thinking is an essential complement to evidence-based practice (EBP). Method: I expand on Kamhi's conclusion and briefly describe what clinicians might need to know to think critically within an EBP…
Mental Health Clinicians' Experiences of Implementing Evidence-Based Treatments
Powell, Byron J.; Hausmann-Stabile, Carolina; McMillen, J. Curtis
Implementation research has tremendous potential to bridge the research-practice gap; however, we know more about barriers to evidence-based care than the factors that contribute to the adoption and sustainability of evidence-based treatments (EBTs). This qualitative study explores the experiences of clinicians (N = 11) who were implementing EBTs, highlighting the factors that they perceived to be most critical to successful implementation. The clinicians' narratives reveal many leverage points that can inform administrators, clinical supervisors, and clinicians who wish to implement EBTs, as well as other stakeholders who wish to develop and test strategies for moving EBTs into routine care. PMID:24066630
Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement in Nursing Education.
Balakas, Karen; Smith, Joan R
For more than a decade, nursing education has experienced several significant changes in response to challenges faced by healthcare organizations. Accrediting organizations have called for improved quality and safety in care, and the Institute of Medicine has identified evidence-based practice and quality improvement as 2 core competencies to include in the curricula for all healthcare professionals. However, the application of these competencies reaches far beyond the classroom setting. For nurses to possess the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to apply evidence-based practice and quality improvement to the real-world setting, academic-clinical institution partnerships are vital. PMID:27465447
A constructivist model for teaching evidence-based practice.
Rolloff, Mary
The Institute of Medicine has reported that it takes roughly 17 years for evidence generated through research to move into clinical practice. Bridging that gap is an urgent need and will require educators to rethink how nurses are prepared for evidence-based practice. The constructivist theory for learning--in which it is assumed that students construct knowledge and meaning for themselves as they learn--may provide a framework for a redesigned baccalaureate curriculum, one that supports evidence-based practice throughout a nursing student's education. PMID:21086866
[Iatrogenesis. From Iatromancy to Evidence-Based Medicine, to Iatromancy…].
Campos, Alberto
The qualities of what is considered evidence change and evolve according to theoretical tools of analysis, but also with what the physician perceives and processes cognitively. This includes models and tools such as statistics and evidence-based medicine. Under the term 'iatromancy' are included here different ways of making inductive inferences to establish diagnoses, be it the divinatory art, heuristics, statistics, Evidence-based Medicine (EBM), or the "clinical eye". The interrelationships of different kinds of experience are discussed as justifications for the beliefs of physicians to form judgments in the decision-making processes. PMID:27160625
Evidence-based management of common chronic lower extremity ulcers.
Richmond, Nicholas A; Maderal, Andrea D; Vivas, Alejandra C
Chronic lower extremity ulcers are a significant burden on patients and health care systems worldwide. Although relatively common, these wounds can be difficult to treat and present a challenge to physicians. Treatment has often been based on anecdotal accounts; however, there is a growing emphasis on using evidence-based conclusions to guide clinical decisions. In this review article, the standard of care and adjuvant therapies of venous leg ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers are presented from an evidence-based perspective. PMID:23742279
Evidence-Based Management of Anticoagulant Therapy
Schulman, Sam; Witt, Daniel M.; Vandvik, Per Olav; Fish, Jason; Kovacs, Michael J.; Svensson, Peter J.; Veenstra, David L.; Crowther, Mark; Guyatt, Gordon H.
Background: High-quality anticoagulation management is required to keep these narrow therapeutic index medications as effective and safe as possible. This article focuses on the common important management questions for which, at a minimum, low-quality published evidence is available to guide best practices. Methods: The methods of this guideline follow those described in Methodology for the Development of Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis Guidelines: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines in this supplement. Results: Most practical clinical questions regarding the management of anticoagulation, both oral and parenteral, have not been adequately addressed by randomized trials. We found sufficient evidence for summaries of recommendations for 23 questions, of which only two are strong rather than weak recommendations. Strong recommendations include targeting an international normalized ratio of 2.0 to 3.0 for patients on vitamin K antagonist therapy (Grade 1B) and not routinely using pharmacogenetic testing for guiding doses of vitamin K antagonist (Grade 1B). Weak recommendations deal with such issues as loading doses, initiation overlap, monitoring frequency, vitamin K supplementation, patient self-management, weight and renal function adjustment of doses, dosing decision support, drug interactions to avoid, and prevention and management of bleeding complications. We also address anticoagulation management services and intensive patient education. Conclusions: We offer guidance for many common anticoagulation-related management problems. Most anticoagulation management questions have not been adequately studied. PMID:22315259
Evidence-Based Practice: Separating Science From Pseudoscience
Lee, Catherine M; Hunsley, John
Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires that clinicians be guided by the best available evidence. In this article, we address the impact of science and pseudoscience on psychotherapy in psychiatric practice. We describe the key principles of evidence-based intervention. We describe pseudoscience and provide illustrative examples of popular intervention practices that have not been abandoned, despite evidence that they are not efficacious and may be harmful. We distinguish efficacy from effectiveness, and describe modular approaches to treatment. Reasons for the persistence of practices that are not evidence based are examined at both the individual and the professional system level. Finally, we offer suggestions for the promotion of EBP through clinical practice guidelines, modelling of scientific decision making, and training in core skills. PMID:26720821
Evidence-Based Practice: Separating Science From Pseudoscience.
Lee, Catherine M; Hunsley, John
Evidence-based practice (EBP) requires that clinicians be guided by the best available evidence. In this article, we address the impact of science and pseudoscience on psychotherapy in psychiatric practice. We describe the key principles of evidence-based intervention. We describe pseudoscience and provide illustrative examples of popular intervention practices that have not been abandoned, despite evidence that they are not efficacious and may be harmful. We distinguish efficacy from effectiveness, and describe modular approaches to treatment. Reasons for the persistence of practices that are not evidence based are examined at both the individual and the professional system level. Finally, we offer suggestions for the promotion of EBP through clinical practice guidelines, modelling of scientific decision making, and training in core skills. PMID:26720821
Making Evidence-based Practice Educational.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Elliott, John
Examines David Hargreaves' ideas about the nature of evidence-based practice and the future direction for educational research. States that one major theme is that current discourse about evidence-based teaching is uninformed by an articulate educational theory, therefore excluding thoughtful consideration of implications of such a theory for…
Evidence-Based Practice and School Nursing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Adams, Susan; McCarthy, Ann Marie
School nurses need to demonstrate that their practice is based on the best evidence available, which is usually data obtained from research. Evidence-based practice involves combining the best evidence available with nursing expertise and patient and family preferences to determine optimum care. Evidence-based practice guidelines are developed by…
Implementing Evidence-Based Social Work Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mullen, Edward J.; Bledsoe, Sarah E.; Bellamy, Jennifer L.
Recently, social work has been influenced by new forms of practice that hold promise for bringing practice and research together to strengthen the scientific knowledge base supporting social work intervention. The most recent new practice framework is evidence-based practice. However, although evidence-based practice has many qualities that might…
Evidence-Based Clearinghouses in Social Work
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Soydan, Haluk; Mullen, Edward J.; Alexandra, Laine; Rehnman, Jenny; Li, You-Ping
Objectives: The purpose of this article is to describe several evidence-based clearinghouses focused on social work and related intervention outcomes, placing them in the context of how such clearinghouses can contribute to research dissemination to foster effective, evidence-based practice. Method: The study employed an analysis of data provided…
Evidence-based dentistry as it relates to dental materials.
Bayne, Stephen C; Fitzgerald, Mark
Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is reviewed in depth to underscore the limitations for evidence-based dental materials information that exist at this time. Anecdotal estimates of evidence for dental practice are in the range of 8 percent to 10 percent. While the process of evaluating the literature base for dental evidence began 20 years ago, it was not practical to implement it until high-speed wireless connections, open access to journals, and omnipresent connections via smart phones became a reality. EBD includes five stages of information collection and analysis, starting with a careful definition of a clinical question using the PICO(T) approach. Clinical evidence in randomized control trials is considered the best. Clinical trial perspectives (prospective, cross-sectional, retrospective) and outcome designs (RCTs, SCTs, CCTs, cohort studies, case-control studies) are quite varied. Aggregation techniques (including meta-analyses) allow meaningful combinations of clinical data from trials with similar designs but with fewer rigors. Appraisals attempt to assess the entire evidence base without bias and answer clinical questions. Varying intensities to these approaches, Cochrane Collaboration, ADA-EBD Library, UTHSCSA CATs Library, are used to answer questions. Dental materials evidence from clinical trials is infrequent, short-term, and often not compliant with current guidelines (registration, CONSORT, PRISMA). Reports in current evidence libraries indicate less than 5 percent of evidence is related to restorative dental materials. PMID:24571523
A Single-blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial of How to Implement an Evidence-based Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder [IMPLEMENT] — Effects of Three Different Strategies of Implementation
Flückiger, Christoph; Forrer, Lena; Schnider, Barbara; Bättig, Isabelle; Bodenmann, Guy; Zinbarg, Richard E.
Background Despite long-standing calls to disseminate evidence-based treatments for generalized anxiety (GAD), modest progress has been made in the study of how such treatments should be implemented. The primary objective of this study was to test three competing strategies on how to implement a cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for out-patients with GAD (i.e., comparison of one compensation vs. two capitalization models). Methods For our three-arm, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (implementation of CBT for GAD [IMPLEMENT]), we recruited adults with GAD using advertisements in high-circulation newspapers to participate in a 14-session cognitive behavioral treatment (Mastery of your Anxiety and Worry, MAW-packet). We randomly assigned eligible patients using a full randomization procedure (1:1:1) to three different conditions of implementation: adherence priming (compensation model), which had a systematized focus on patients' individual GAD symptoms and how to compensate for these symptoms within the MAW-packet, and resource priming and supportive resource priming (capitalization model), which had systematized focuses on patients' strengths and abilities and how these strengths can be capitalized within the same packet. In the intention-to-treat population an outcome composite of primary and secondary symptoms-related self-report questionnaires was analyzed based on a hierarchical linear growth model from intake to 6-month follow-up assessment. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT02039193) and is closed to new participants. Findings From June 2012 to Nov. 2014, from 411 participants that were screened, 57 eligible participants were recruited and randomly assigned to three conditions. Forty-nine patients (86%) provided outcome data at post-assessment (14% dropout rate). All three conditions showed a highly significant reduction of symptoms over time. However, compared with the adherence priming condition, both resource
Evidence base in guideline generation in diabetes.
Mühlhauser, I; Meyer, G
During recent years much emphasis has been on the validity, reliability, reproducibility, clinical applicability, clarity, multidisciplinary process, scheduled review and documentation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). Still, CPGs show substantial variance in methodological quality. The present paper mainly focuses on two aspects that are particularly critical and contemporary from the perspective of evidence-based medicine: patient centredness and shared decision making, and conflict of interest. Sophisticated patient and consumer involvement at all stages of CPG development could be judged as being the gold standard. However, co-opting patients or consumer representatives and using other techniques of active patient involvement does not replace individual patient preferences in clinical decision-making processes. Current CPGs do not meet patient needs, since they do not provide concise, easy-to-read summaries of the benefits and risks of medicines together with more comprehensive scientific data as a prerequisite for informed or shared decision making. The vast majority of CPG panels have a financial conflict of interest (COI) and under-reporting is common. Not all organisations producing CPGs have set up COI policies, and existing policies vary widely. To solve the problem, CPG experts have recommended that methodologists without any important COI should lead the development process and have primary responsibility. There is a lot of room for other improvements through network transnational activities in the field of CPG development. Waste of time and resources should be avoided through sharing published and unpublished data identified, appraised and extracted for guideline development. The EASD could provide such a clearing house. PMID:23475367
An official ATS/AASM/ACCP/ERS workshop report: Research priorities in ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea.
Kuna, Samuel T; Badr, M Safwan; Kimoff, R John; Kushida, Clete; Lee-Chiong, Teofilo; Levy, Patrick; McNicholas, Walter T; Strollo, Patrick J
An international workshop was held to determine the research priorities for incorporating ambulatory management of adults with obstructive sleep apnea into healthcare systems. The workshop identified the barriers preventing incorporation of portable monitor testing into clinical management pathways and determined the research and development needed to address those barriers. The workshop promoted interaction and collaboration among diverse stakeholders who have interest and expertise in the development and evaluation of portable monitor technology and its clinical application. The consensus of the workshop participants was that outcomes-based research studies are needed to demonstrate the efficacy and cost effectiveness of portable monitor testing. Closely related to this objective is the need to develop clinical sleep research networks capable of performing adequately powered studies. Recommendations were developed regarding research study design and methodology that includes the need to standardize technology, identify the patients most appropriate for ambulatory management of obstructive sleep apnea, ensure patient safety, and identify sources of research funding. The evidence resulting from high-quality comparative effectiveness studies that include cost effectiveness as an outcome will allow decision makers to develop healthcare policies regarding the clinical application of portable monitor testing for the ambulatory management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea. PMID:21364215
Evidence-based medicine and the reconfiguration of medical knowledge.
Timmermans, Stefan; Kolker, Emily S
Over the past decade, different parties in the health care field have developed and disseminated clinical practice guidelines as part of evidence-based medicine. These formal tools based on a scientific evaluation of the research literature purport to tell health care professionals how to practice medicine. Because clinical practice guidelines shift the knowledge base in the health care field through standardization, they remain controversial within and outside medicine. In this paper, we evaluate the predictive accuracy of four medical professionalization theories--functionalism, Freidson's theory of professional dominance, deprofessionalization theory, and the theory of countervailing powers--to account for (1) the shift from pathophysiology to epidemiology with guidelines, (2) the creation of practice guidelines, and (3) the effects of clinical practice guidelines on the autonomy of health professionals. In light of the mixed predictive record of professionalization theories, we conclude with a need for "evidence-based sociology" and a recalibration of basic premises underlying professionalization theories. PMID:15779473
Evidence-based orthopedic surgery: is it possible?
Suk, Michael; Hanson, Beate; Helfet, David L
The promise of evidence-based medicine is to integrate the highest levels of clinical data with patient outcomes. After framing the question and identifying appropriate studies, evaluating their relevance to clinical practice is highly dependent on the instruments and measures selected to demonstrate outcomes. Currently, there are hundreds of outcomes measures available in the orthopedic literature evaluating these treatments, and it is not uncommon for different measures to produce conflicting results. Consequently, the ability to evaluate an outcomes measure is critical in determining the value of a specific treatment intervention. Similarly, selecting the appropriate outcomes measure for research or clinical purposes is an important decision that may have far reaching implications on reimbursement, surgeon reputation, and patient treatment success. Evidence-based orthopedic surgery is indeed possible, but demands a detailed understanding of why appropriate outcomes selection is important, the difference between clinician-based and patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and potential future directions in orthopedics outcomes research. PMID:20399353
Sicily statement on evidence-based practice
Dawes, Martin; Summerskill, William; Glasziou, Paul; Cartabellotta, Antonino; Martin, Janet; Hopayian, Kevork; Porzsolt, Franz; Burls, Amanda; Osborne, James
Background A variety of definitions of evidence-based practice (EBP) exist. However, definitions are in themselves insufficient to explain the underlying processes of EBP and to differentiate between an evidence-based process and evidence-based outcome. There is a need for a clear statement of what Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) means, a description of the skills required to practise in an evidence-based manner and a curriculum that outlines the minimum requirements for training health professionals in EBP. This consensus statement is based on current literature and incorporating the experience of delegates attending the 2003 Conference of Evidence-Based Health Care Teachers and Developers ("Signposting the future of EBHC"). Discussion Evidence-Based Practice has evolved in both scope and definition. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) requires that decisions about health care are based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence. These decisions should be made by those receiving care, informed by the tacit and explicit knowledge of those providing care, within the context of available resources. Health care professionals must be able to gain, assess, apply and integrate new knowledge and have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances throughout their professional life. Curricula to deliver these aptitudes need to be grounded in the five-step model of EBP, and informed by ongoing research. Core assessment tools for each of the steps should continue to be developed, validated, and made freely available. Summary All health care professionals need to understand the principles of EBP, recognise EBP in action, implement evidence-based policies, and have a critical attitude to their own practice and to evidence. Without these skills, professionals and organisations will find it difficult to provide 'best practice'. PMID:15634359
Evidence-based management of patients with osteoporosis.
Guyatt, G H
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) offers an approach to solving clinical problems that places a high value on systematic clinical investigation. Evidence-based clinicians look to the highest rung on a hierarchy of evidence to guide their patient management. When considering therapeutic decisions, randomized control trials examining impact on outcomes that patients feel are important are at the top of the hierarchy of individual studies. Systematic reviews of such trials provide the best evidence for patient care decisions. Systematic reviews include explicit eligibility criteria for studies they include, a comprehensive search, an explicit rating of the methodological quality of the individual trials, and explicit strategies for pooling data. Inferences are weakened if study design is weak (trials are not blinded or we have only observational studies on which to rely), if results are inconsistent across studies, or if studies rely on substitute end points (bone density rather than long-bone fractures). Evidence-based clinicians consider not only the strength of evidence, but the patients' risk of adverse target outcomes and the magnitude of treatment effects in making their therapeutic decisions. EBM encourages quantitative approaches to trading off benefits and risks. For example, in deciding whether to recommend hormone replacement therapy to a 50-yr-old, an evidence-based clinician would consider that the woman has a 15% lifetime risk of fracturing her hip and the median age of the fracture is 79. Observational studies suggest that long-term estrogen therapy will reduce this risk by 25%, and we must therefore treat 25 women for 30 yr to prevent a single fracture. Evidence-based clinicians are also aware that evidence never provides an adequate guide for treatment decisions when considered on its own. Each therapeutic decision involves a trade-off between benefits and risks, and value judgments are invariably involved in making that trade-off. PMID:15304887
Measuring Practitioner Attitudes toward Evidence-Based Treatments: A Validation Study
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ashcraft, Rindee G. P.; Foster, Sharon L.; Lowery, Amy E.; Henggeler, Scott W.; Chapman, Jason E.; Rowland, Melisa D.
A better understanding of clinicians' attitudes toward evidence-based treatments (EBT) will presumably enhance the transfer of EBTs for substance-abusing adolescents from research to clinical application. The reliability and validity of two measures of therapist attitudes toward EBT were examined: the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale…
Using motivational interviewing: through evidence-based health coaching.
Huffman, Melinda
To enhance compliance and achieve better outcomes, providers must actively engage their patients and caregivers in different ways than in the past. One strategy that has gained national attention is motivational interviewing through evidence-based health coaching. A closer look at this exciting new clinical skill reveals what it is, how it works, why it is so successful, and why our traditional patient approach has fallen short. PMID:25268529
Intramuscular injection technique: an evidence-based approach.
Ogston-Tuck, Sherri
Intramuscular injections require a thorough and meticulous approach to patient assessment and injection technique. This article, the second in a series of two, reviews the evidence base to inform safer practice and to consider the evidence for nursing practice in this area. A framework for safe practice is included, identifying important points for safe technique, patient care and clinical decision making. It also highlights the ongoing debate in selection of intramuscular injection sites, predominately the ventrogluteal and dorsogluteal muscles. PMID:25249123
Dissemination of Evidence-Based Standards of Care
Barkhordarian, Andre; Hacker, Brett; Chiappelli, Francesco
Standards of care pertain to crafting and implementing patient-centered treatment interventions. Standards of care must take into consideration the patient's gender, ethnicity, medical and dental history, insurance coverage (or socioeconomic level, if a private patient), and the timeliness of the targeted scientific evidence. This resolves into a process by which clinical decision-making about the optimal patient-centered treatment relies on the best available research evidence, and all other necessary inputs and factors to provide the best possible treatment. Standards of care must be evidence-based, and not merely based on the evidence – the dichotomy being critical in contemporary health services research and practice. Evidence-based standards of care must rest on the best available evidence that emerges from a concerted hypothesis-driven process of research synthesis and meta-analysis. Health information technology needs to become an every-day reality in health services research and practice to ensure evidence-based standards of care. Current trends indicate that user-friendly methodologies, for the dissemination of evidence-based standards of care, must be developed, tested and distributed. They should include approaches for the quantification and analysis of the textual content of systematic reviews and of their summaries in the form of critical reviews and lay-language summaries. PMID:22355229
Urticaria: an evidence-based update. Conference report.
Alexandroff, A B; Harman, K E
Summary Evidence-based update meetings are held annually by the Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, University of Nottingham. Topics are chosen by delegates at the previous year's conference and in the past have included blistering disorders, psoriasis, hair disorders and skin cancers. Once the topic is identified, a trials database search is undertaken with the aim of including speakers who are actively involved in trials that address the subject in question. This year, the eighth Evidence Based Update meeting focused on urticaria and took place in Loughborough University on 14 May 2009. The latest data on the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic urticaria, including cold and solar urticaria, and the impact of food intolerance on chronic urticaria, were presented by an international panel of renowned speakers, who sometimes expressed different viewpoints. The highlights of the meeting included an informal atmosphere, an international perspective, and a practical question and answer session. Over 70% of the delegates stated that they would be changing their clinical practice following on from the meeting. The evidence-based update meeting in 2010 will be devoted to eczema. PMID:20666769
Evidence-based medicine: medical librarians providing evidence at the point of care.
Yaeger, Lauren H; Kelly, Betsy
Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. .. by best available external clinical evidence we mean clinically relevant research.' Health care reform authorized by the Affordable Care Act is based on the belief that evidence-based practice (EBP) generates cost savings due to the delivery of more effective care.2 Medical librarians, skilled in identifying appropriate resources and working with multiple complex interfaces, can support clinicians' efforts to practice evidence based medicine by providing time and expertise in articulating the clinical question and identifying the best evidence. PMID:25438362
Evidence-based medicine: medical librarians providing evidence at the point of care.
Yaeger, Lauren H; Kelly, Betsy
Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. .. by best available external clinical evidence we mean clinically relevant research.' Health care reform authorized by the Affordable Care Act is based on the belief that evidence-based practice (EBP) generates cost savings due to the delivery of more effective care.2 Medical librarians, skilled in identifying appropriate resources and working with multiple complex interfaces, can support clinicians' efforts to practice evidence based medicine by providing time and expertise in articulating the clinical question and identifying the best evidence. PMID:25507879
Evidence-based policymaking: a critique.
Greenhalgh, Trisha; Russell, Jill
The idea that policy should be based on best research evidence might appear to be self-evident. But a closer analysis reveals a number of problems and paradoxes inherent in the concept of "evidence-based policymaking." The current conflict over evidence-based policymaking parallels a long-standing "paradigm war" in social research between positivist, interpretivist, and critical approaches. This article draws from this debate in order to inform the discussions over the appropriateness of evidence- based policymaking and the related question of what is the nature of policymaking. The positivist, empiricist worldview that underpins the theory and practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM) fails to address key elements of the policymaking process. In particular, a narrowly "evidence-based" framing of policymaking is inherently unable to explore the complex, context-dependent, and value-laden way in which competing options are negotiated by individuals and interest groups. Sociolinguistic tools such as argumentation theory offer opportunities for developing richer theories about how policymaking happens. Such tools also have potential practical application in the policymaking process: by enhancing participants' awareness of their own values and those of others, the quality of the collective deliberation that lies at the heart of policymaking may itself improve. PMID:19395827
Evidence-Based Therapies, Evidence-Based Practice, and the Intersection of Nomothetic and Idiographic Foundations of Psychotherapy Research and Application: A Reply to Shean.
Pilecki, Brian; McKay, Dean
This article is a commentary on "Psychotherapy Outcome Research: Issues and Questions" by Glenn Shean (this issue). While we agree with a couple of Shean's points, such as over-reliance on diagnoses and lack of attention to global measures of quality of life and functioning, there are several very substantive points of disagreement. We argue that evidence-based therapies and evidence-based practice occupy a central role in developing effective and non-harmful therapies. Shean conflates evidence-based therapies and evidence-based practice in a way that is not representative of how science is intended to advance everyday treatment delivery. We further contest Shean's notion that reliance on empirically based research is limiting to clinicians and instead argue that it offers a helpful and pragmatic starting point for clinical decision making with each unique patient. Further, evidence-based practice, in contrast to evidence-based therapies, represents the model ideal for service delivery, rather than a slavish adherence to protocols employed in randomized clinical trials. Finally, we argue that both nomothetic and idiographic approaches are valid and important in the ongoing advancement of modern psychotherapy, a position wholly consistent with the evidence-based practice movement. PMID:26938798
Strategies for Training Counselors in Evidence-Based Treatments
Martino, Steve
Evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for substance abuse and dependence have demonstrated superiority over treatment as usual when applied with strict fidelity in controlled clinical trials. Effective counselor training is critical if substance abuse programs are to realize these interventions' full potential to enhance client outcomes in community practice. Although few empirical evaluations of training in EBTs have been conducted to date, the existing data warrant tentative conclusions concerning the appropriate roles and effectiveness of workshops, clinical supervision, distance learning, and blended learning. Among several outstanding research issues are questions of benchmarks for counselors' performance in training and the relationships between such performance and clients' substance abuse outcomes. PMID:22002451
Teaching of evidence-based medicine to medical undergraduates.
Atiya, A S
Medical practice is changing, and the foundations of the paradigm shift lie in the development in research over the last four decades. Today, it is no longer adequate to treat a patient purely on clinical experience alone without a clear demonstration of evidence based on research, particularly the use of randomised controlled clinical trials. What is thought to be an effective mode of treatment currently may not necessarily hold true by the time medical students begin his/her medical practice. As a consequence, many medical schools worldwide are increasingly promoting evidence-based medicine (EBM) teaching in their medical curriculum along with problem-based learning (PBL). Teaching of EBM requires a paradigm shift in itself, as students must possess additional skills that are not traditionally part of medical training. These include the ability to acquire the skills in 'means of answering questions' than just 'knowing the answer to questions'. This paper aims to describe what EBM is and to highlight the formative experience of the teaching of EBM at the medical undergraduate level in the University of Malaya. Challenges and opportunities towards successful adoption of evidence-based practice are discussed. PMID:12733204
Columbia University's Competency and Evidence-based Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Curran, Christine R.; Roberts, W. Dan
Columbia University's acute care nurse practitioner curriculum incorporates evaluation strategies and standards to assess clinical competence and foster evidence-based practice. The curriculum consists of four core courses, supporting sciences, and specialty courses. (Contains 17 references.) (SK)
An evidence-based review of dental matrix systems.
Owens, Barry M; Phebus, Jeffrey G
The restoration of proximal surface cavities, originating from Class II carious lesions, to "normal" anatomical specifications is a fundamental objective for the dental practitioner. Cognitive interpretation of tooth morphology attained from evidence-based resources, together with the necessary psychomotor skills for correct design and completion, are considered essential strategies for restoration success. Also, the visualization of the original tooth structure, if present, should substantially benefit the dentist in the creation of a clinically satisfactory restoration. The purpose of this evidence-based review is to define the cause and effect of decisions based on optimum treatment standards of care for the patient. The concepts of form and function, as related to the oral environment, and the consequences of unsatisfactory dental restorative care will be scrutinized. This article will identify and explain the different challenges and solutions for restoration of dental proximal lesions and provide an overview of past, present, and future procedures. PMID:27599285
Physiology versus evidence-based guidance for critical care practice
Evidence based medicine is an attempt to optimize the medical decision process through methods primarily based on evidence coming from meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials ("evidence-based medicine"), rather than on "clinical judgment" alone. The randomized trials are the cornerstones of this process. However, the randomized trials are just a method to prove or disprove a given hypothesis, which, in turn, derives from a general observation of the reality (premises or theories). In this paper we will examine some of the most recent randomized trials performed in Intensive Care, analyzing their premises, hypothesis and outcome. It is quite evident that when the premises are wrong or too vague the unavoidable consequences will be a negative outcome. We should pay when designing the trial an equal attention in defining premises and hypothesis that we pay for the trial conduction. PMID:26729063
Evidence-Based Practice: Promoting Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kratochwill, Thomas R.; Steele Shernoff, Elisa
We present an overview of issues related to evidence-based practice and the role that the school psychology profession can play in developing and disseminating evidence based interventions (EBIs). Historical problems relating to and the recurring debate about the integration of research into practice are presented as a context for the current…
Evidence-Based Practice: Promoting Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kratochwill, Thomas R.; Shernoff, Elisa Steele
We present an overview of issues related to evidence-based practice and the role that the school psychology profession can play in developing and disseminating evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Historical problems relating to and the recurring debate about the integration of research into practice are presented as a context for the current…
Evidence-Based Special Education in the Context of Scarce Evidence-Based Practices
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
TEACHING Exceptional Children, 2014
Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are supported as generally effective for populations of learners by bodies of high-quality and experimental research and, when aligned with stakeholder values and practical needs, should be prioritized for implementation. However, evidence-based practices are not currently available for all learner types in all…
Evidence-Based Practices and Autism
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mesibov, Gary B.; Shea, Victoria
Interventions for autism are increasing being held to standards such as "evidence-based practice" in psychology and "scientifically-based research" in education. When these concepts emerged in the context of adult psychotherapy and regular education, they caused considerable controversy. Application of the concepts to autism treatments and special…
Evidence Based Education Request Desk. EBE #741
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, 2010
This Evidence Based Education (EBE) request asks for information relating to funding for virtual schools. The EBE Request Desk was asked to provide a scan of states for information on how they fund virtual schools and what the current funding levels are (most current year for which such data is available). This paper provides answers to this…
Evidence-Based Practice Goes beyond Google
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Klitzing, Sandra
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is applying research to assist in the selection of interventions that result in increased client quality care. Recently the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (2010), a new accreditation body for recreational therapy education, included standards that state students should obtain knowledge…
Evidence-Based Classroom Behaviour Management Strategies
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Parsonson, Barry S.
This paper reviews a range of evidence-based strategies for application by teachers to reduce disruptive and challenging behaviours in their classrooms. These include a number of antecedent strategies intended to help minimise the emergence of problematic behaviours and a range of those which provide positive consequences for appropriate student…
Evidence-Based Teaching: Rhetoric and Reality
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wrigley, Terry
This essay connects a number of recent books relating, in different ways, to the contentious issue of how teaching might be better guided by research evidence. In order to shed light on this problematic area, Terry Wrigley begins by pointing out that raising awkward questions about terms such as "evidence- based teaching" is not the same…
Statewide Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fixsen, Dean; Blase, Karen; Metz, Allison; van Dyke, Melissa
Evidence-based programs will be useful to the extent they produce benefits to individuals on a socially significant scale. It appears the combination of effective programs and effective implementation methods is required to assure consistent uses of programs and reliable benefits to children and families. To date, focus has been placed primarily…
Evidence Based Education Request Desk. EBE #555
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast, 2009
This Evidence Based Education (EBE) Request seeks to provide an overview of recent research regarding school improvement and reform with special concentration on turning around chronically low-performing schools. The response is divided into four main sections: Research on Effective Methods for Turning Around Low-Performing Schools, Frameworks for…
Finding Evidence-Based Practice Information
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Childs, Gary M.
Locating sources that are rich in evidence-based practice information can be more difficult for physical as well as occupational therapists in practice settings in which there is not direct access to a health sciences library. In addition, once information has been found, there may not be an easy way to access the data. This commentary will…
What's New about Evidence-Based Assessment?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Barlow, David H.
A clear consensus has emerged around the world concerning the desirability and even the urgency of basing health care delivery systems on evidence. Among behavioral health care providers such as psychologists, evidence-based practice (EBP) has been focused largely on interventions. Psychologists have long emphasized a scientifically based…
The Evidence Base for Positive Peer Culture
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Laursen, Erik K.
This article explores the evidence base for Positive Peer Culture (PPC) which is a total system for developing positive youth cultures in youth serving organizations. It challenges a popular belief among some researchers that group programs which bring together troubled youth are inherently negative.
Implementing Evidence-Based Treatments in Organizations
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Woolston, Joseph L.
Several case studies in implementing evidence-based treatments (EBTs) in organizations are presented. Two erroneous presuppositions about treatments with proven efficacy (henceforth called EBTs) frequently lead to major problems (Hoagwood et al., 2001). The first is that the development of an EBT has taken into account the fit between the…
Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions to Promote Secure Attachment
Wright, Barry; Edginton, Elizabeth
Various interventions are used in clinical practice to address insecure or disorganized attachment patterns and attachment disorders. The most common of these are parenting interventions, but not all have a robust empirical evidence base. We undertook a systematic review of randomized trials comparing a parenting intervention with a control, where these used a validated attachment instrument, in order to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve attachment in children with severe attachment problems (mean age <13 years). This article aims to inform clinicians about the parenting interventions included in our systematic review that were clinically effective in promoting secure attachment. For completeness, we also briefly discuss other interventions without randomized controlled trial evidence, identified in Patient Public Involvement workshops and expert groups at the point our review was completed as being used or recommended. We outline the key implications of our findings for clinical practice and future research. PMID:27583298
The Care and Feeding of Evidence Based Medicine
Wide interest in evidence based medicine (EBM) and its value in patient care, insurance payment decisions, and public health planning has triggered intense medical journal and media coverage that merits review, explanation, and comment. Published EBM data vary in quality for reasons that have been the subject of many perceptive literature reviews. Study design can be faulted, and conflicts of interest, personal and economic, can potentially bias study results and their publication. Practical guides for data evaluation are presented here, with discussion of technical and sociological issues that affect information quality and its clinical application. Clinical practice often appears to resist good evidence in making clinical choices. Personal views of some practicing physicians about EBM are presented that underlie the occasional difficulties in applying valid research information in patient care. Improvements in study design and publication standards may enhance the clinical application of evidence-based information. EBM guided practice holds promise to improve outcomes and expense, to standardize and streamline process in ways that make for much safer patient care. PMID:22532934
Transitioning Toward Evidence-Based Research in the Health Sciences for the XXI Century
Cajulis, Olivia S.
This article discusses some of the misconceptions of evidence-based research in the health sciences. It proposes that since not all treatments in medicine and dentistry can be evidence-based, clinical applications of the evidence-based process should become a specialty. The case is particularly evident in dentistry. Therefore dentistry is taken in this article as a model for discussion. We propose that to approach dentistry from the viewpoint of the patient-oriented evidence that matters (POEM) is perfectly acceptable so far as we also engage in the process of research evaluation and appraisal in dentistry (READ). We distinguish between dentistry based on the evidence, and evidence-based dentistry. We argue that when invoking an evidence-based approach to dentistry or medicine, it is not sufficient to establish the 'levels of evidence', but rather that all evidence-based clinical intervention must undergo the stringent process of evidence-based research so that clinical practice guidelines be revised based on the best available evidence. PMID:18604263
[Looking for evidence-based medical informatics].
Coiera, Enrico
e-Health is experiencing a difficult time. On the one side, the forecast is for a bright digital health future created by precision medicine and smart devices. On the other hand, most large scale e-health projects struggle to make a difference and are often controversial. Both futures fail because they are not evidence-based. Medical informatics should follow the example of evidence-based medicine, i.e. conduct rigorous research that gives us evidence to solve real world problems, synthesise that evidence and then apply it strictly. We already have the tools for creating a different universe. What we need is evidence, will, a culture of learning, and hard work. PMID:27030221
Evidence-based equine dentistry: preventive medicine.
Carmalt, James L
Dental problems are some of the most common reasons for a horse to be presented to an equine veterinarian. Despite the importance of anecdotal evidence as a starting point, the science of equine dentistry (especially prophylactic dentistry) has remained poorly supported by evidence-based approaches to diagnosis and treatment. In the 21st century, veterinarians have an ethical responsibility to promote and use the results of evidence-based research and not propagate statements attesting to the purported benefits of intervention without supporting research. Consider also that society is becoming more litigious and therefore is basing treatment plans and advice on published research, which protects the profession from legal challenges concerning our professional conduct. This article reviews the current published evidence concerning the role of equine dentistry in feed digestibility and performance. PMID:17616326
Therapeutic management of anal eczema: an evidence-based review
Havlickova, B; Weyandt, G H
Aim To conduct a systematic review of treatments for anal eczema (AE). Methods We conducted a Medline search for clinical trial data for the treatment of perianal diseases including AE, including papers not published in the English language. We assessed the study reports using the system recommended by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. No meta-analysis was attempted. Results The evidence base for topical treatments used to treat AE is very poor: there are very few studies and many of those that exist are of poor quality. The best evidence was found for medications that are yet to be licensed for AE. Among products with existing licences for the treatment of eczema, our assessment found some evidence to support the continued use of mild-to-moderate corticosteroids first line in most patients. Discussion Features of the perianal region, and the fact that it is almost always occluded, mean that not all medications recommended in the general treatment guidelines for eczema are appropriate for AE. However, there are no specific treatment guidelines for these patients. This may in part be because of the lack of high-quality evidence-based medicine in this therapy area. Many frequently prescribed medications were developed and licensed many years ago, in an era when clinical trial design was not expected to be as rigorous as it is today. Conclusion This review highlights the need to conduct more high-quality clinical trials in patients with AE in order that specific guidelines for the management of this difficult proctological condition can be prepared. PMID:24898365
What's Wrong with Evidence-Based Medicine?
Fins, Joseph J
Medicine in the last decades of the twentieth century was ripe for a data sweep that would bring systematic analysis to treatment strategies that seemingly had stood the test of time but were actually unvalidated. Coalescing under the banner of evidence-based medicine, this process has helped to standardize care, minimize error, and promote patient safety. But with this advancement, something of the art of medicine has been lost. PMID:26786040
What Is Evidence-Based Behavior Analysis?
Smith, Tristram
Although applied behavior analysts often say they engage in evidence-based practice, they express differing views on what constitutes "evidence" and "practice." This article describes a practice as a service offered by a provider to help solve a problem presented by a consumer. Solving most problems (e.g., increasing or decreasing a behavior and maintaining this change) requires multiple intervention procedures (i.e., a package). Single-subject studies are invaluable in investigating individual procedures, but researchers still need to integrate the procedures into a package. The package must be standardized enough for independent providers to replicate yet flexible enough to allow individualization; intervention manuals are the primary technology for achieving this balance. To test whether the package is effective in solving consumers' problems, researchers must evaluate outcomes of the package as a whole, usually in group studies such as randomized controlled trials. From this perspective, establishing an evidence-based practice involves more than analyzing the effects of discrete intervention procedures on behavior; it requires synthesizing information so as to offer thorough solutions to problems. Recognizing the need for synthesis offers behavior analysts many promising opportunities to build on their existing research to increase the quality and quantity of evidence-based practices. PMID:25729130
Evidence-based librarianship: an overview
Eldredge, Jonathan D.
Objective: To demonstrate how the core characteristics of both evidence-based medicine (EBM) and evidence-based health care (EBHC) can be adapted to health sciences librarianship. Method: Narrative review essay involving development of a conceptual framework. The author describes the central features of EBM and EBHC. Following each description of a central feature, the author then suggests ways that this feature applies to health sciences librarianship. Results: First, the decision-making processes of EBM and EBHC are compatible with health sciences librarianship. Second, the EBM and EBHC values of favoring rigorously produced scientific evidence in decision making are congruent with the core values of librarianship. Third, the hierarchical levels of evidence can be applied to librarianship with some modifications. Library researchers currently favor descriptive-survey and case-study methods over systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, or other higher levels of evidence. The library literature nevertheless contains diverse examples of randomized controlled trials, controlled-comparison studies, and cohort studies conducted by health sciences librarians. Conclusions: Health sciences librarians are confronted with making many practical decisions. Evidence-based librarianship offers a decision-making framework, which integrates the best available research evidence. By employing this framework and the higher levels of research evidence it promotes, health sciences librarians can lay the foundation for more collaborative and scientific endeavors. PMID:11055296
Evidence-based medicine and tort law.
Foucar, Elliott; Wick, Mark R
Recent statutes and legal decisions have been aimed at bettering the quality of tort-law decisions by substantively improving "expert" testimony. However, in analogy to the experience of physicians attempting to upgrade medical practice using the principles of evidence-based medicine, lawyers and the courts have found it much easier to describe ideal science than to actualize it. This is particularly so in a system (the Law) that has traditionally not been very discerning about scientific rigor, and which has established procedural priorities that are often incompatible with strict scientific standards. This overview will examine the American tort system from an evidence-based perspective. We include a discussion of standards that could be used for "outcomes analysis" in the Law; recognition and classification of errors made by the courts themselves; the relationship between medical errors, "negligence," and standard of care; and the problem of reconciling the rights of plaintiffs with medical-scientific facts. We also consider selected impediments to developing a legal system that is capable of consistently reaching evidence-based decisions concerning complex scientific information, including pathologic interpretation of tissue specimens. PMID:16639995
What is evidence-based behavior analysis?
Smith, Tristram
Although applied behavior analysts often say they engage in evidence-based practice, they express differing views on what constitutes "evidence" and "practice." This article describes a practice as a service offered by a provider to help solve a problem presented by a consumer. Solving most problems (e.g., increasing or decreasing a behavior and maintaining this change) requires multiple intervention procedures (i.e., a package). Single-subject studies are invaluable in investigating individual procedures, but researchers still need to integrate the procedures into a package. The package must be standardized enough for independent providers to replicate yet flexible enough to allow individualization; intervention manuals are the primary technology for achieving this balance. To test whether the package is effective in solving consumers' problems, researchers must evaluate outcomes of the package as a whole, usually in group studies such as randomized controlled trials. From this perspective, establishing an evidence-based practice involves more than analyzing the effects of discrete intervention procedures on behavior; it requires synthesizing information so as to offer thorough solutions to problems. Recognizing the need for synthesis offers behavior analysts many promising opportunities to build on their existing research to increase the quality and quantity of evidence-based practices. PMID:25729130
Towards Evidence-Based Practice in Language Intervention for Bilingual Children
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Thordardottir, Elin
Evidence-based practice requires that clinical decisions be based on evidence from rigorously controlled research studies. At this time, very few studies have directly examined the efficacy of clinical intervention methods for bilingual children. Clinical decisions for this population cannot, therefore, be based on the strongest forms of research…
Factors influencing evidence-based practice for community nurses.
Baird, Lisa M Garland; Miller, Tess
Factors influencing the development of evidence-based nursing practice (EBNP) were examined in Prince Edward Island, Canada. An adapted electronic questionnaire was distributed to practicing registered nurses and nurse practitioners (n=68). An analysis of variance revealed a significant difference between nurses' clinical practice setting and the EBNP scale. Significant differences were also found between age and education level when compared with the EBNP subscales where novice nurses were less likely to rely on experience and intuition, and expert nurses with a higher level of education reported being more skilful at synthesising and applying information from research findings into their nursing practice. PMID:25993372
Evidence-based practice, research, peer review, and publication.
Gunn, I P
For about a quarter of a century, concerns have been expressed about published biomedical research. It became more acute after some published research and broad dissemination was found fraudulent. With the emphasis now being placed on scientifically validated or evidence-based practice, it has become more imperative that clinical guidelines be based on credible information in our textbooks and research literature. Since the early 1990s, it has been found that much of the research in our electronic databases does not meet quality standards and often is irrelevant, calling into questions problems with peer review, including the selection and publication process of our journals. This column is devoted to calling attention to these problems not only to CRNAs and other researchers, but also to the consumers of research who often use it to make changes in their practice. It also calls attention to the CRNA community about the movement toward calls for greater accountability in practice, both as to quality and cost, from which the movement toward evidence-based practice, the identification and benchmarking of best practices, and the development and implementation of clinical practice guideline has evolved. To feel ownership in anesthesia-related clinical practice guidelines, CRNAs must become involved in their development and implementation. PMID:9866493
Paving the way for evidence-based medicine in Pakistan.
Zaidi, Zareen; Hashim, Jawad; Iqbal, Mobeen; Quadri, K Mujtaba
Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) is the process of systematically reviewing, appraising and using clinical research findings to aid the delivery of optimal clinical care to patients. EBM has become popular due to: the need for valid information about diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and prevention during patient care; traditional sources such as textbooks and expert opinion being frequently out-of-date; and knowledge of current best evidence declining with time from graduation from medical college. EBM has become feasible for practicing clinicians due to: new strategies for appraising studies; availability of systematic reviews (summaries) of current best evidence; and information technology (computers with Internet access). In a resource-limited country such as Pakistan, an evidence-based approach can be cost-effective by reducing clinical practices that have no proven benefit. Commonly perceived obstacles to EBM include limited access to computers, the Internet and online resources. Reliable resources of EBM are available (such as The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews http://www.cochrane.org) although many of these require paid subscriptions. Another difficulty is the issue of applicability of data from other countries to patients in our setting with different socio-economic factors. Other barriers to EBM in developing countries include: inexperience in small-group learning, limited time to attend workshops, and the lack of role models for practicing EBM. We have also tried to address the common fallacies related to EBM in the hope of greater use of these skills by busy clinicians as well as academic researchers. PMID:18062522
Reality of evidence-based practice in palliative care.
Visser, Claire; Hadley, Gina; Wee, Bee
There has been a paradigm shift in medicine away from tradition, anecdote and theoretical reasoning from the basic sciences towards evidence-based medicine (EBM). In palliative care however, statistically significant benefits may be marginal and may not be related to clinical meaningfulness. The typical treatment vs. placebo comparison necessitated by 'gold standard' randomised controlled trials (RCTs) is not necessarily applicable. The complex multimorbidity of end of life care involves considerations of the patient's physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. In addition, the field of palliative care covers a heterogeneous group of chronic and incurable diseases no longer limited to cancer. Adequate sample sizes can be difficult to achieve, reducing the power of studies and high attrition rates can result in inadequate follow up periods. This review uses examples of the management of cancer-related fatigue and death rattle (noisy breathing) to demonstrate the current state of EBM in palliative care. The future of EBM in palliative care needs to be as diverse as the patients who ultimately derive benefit. Non-RCT methodologies of equivalent quality, validity and size conducted by collaborative research networks using a 'mixed methods approach' are likely to pose the correct clinical questions and derive evidence-based yet clinically relevant outcomes. PMID:26487964
Reconciling evidence-based medicine and patient-centred care: defining evidence-based inputs to patient-centred decisions.
Weaver, Robert R
Evidence-based and patient-centred health care movements have each enhanced the discussion of how health care might best be delivered, yet the two have evolved separately and, in some views, remain at odds with each other. No clear model has emerged to enable practitioners to capitalize on the advantages of each so actual practice often becomes, to varying degrees, an undefined mishmash of each. When faced with clinical uncertainty, it becomes easy for practitioners to rely on formulas for care developed explicitly by expert panels, or on the tacit ones developed from experience or habit. Either way, these tendencies towards 'cookbook' medicine undermine the view of patients as unique particulars, and diminish what might be considered patient-centred care. The sequence in which evidence is applied in the care process, however, is critical for developing a model of care that is both evidence based and patient centred. This notion derives from a paradigm for knowledge delivery and patient care developed over decades by Dr. Lawrence Weed. Weed's vision enables us to view evidence-based and person-centred medicine as wholly complementary, using computer tools to more fully and reliably exploit the vast body of collective knowledge available to define patients' uniqueness and identify the options to guide patients. The transparency of the approach to knowledge delivery facilitates meaningful practitioner-patient dialogue in determining the appropriate course of action. Such a model for knowledge delivery and care is essential for integrating evidence-based and patient-centred approaches. PMID:26456314
Embedding evidence-based practice among nursing undergraduates: Results from a pilot study.
André, Beate; Aune, Anne G; Brænd, Jorunn A
Evidence-based practice is currently one of the most important developments in health care. Research in nursing science is rapidly growing; however, translating the knowledge based on this research into clinical practice is often hampered, and may be dependent on reflective skills. The aim of this study was to see how undergraduate nursing students in nursing should increase their skills and knowledge related to evidence-based practice through participation in clinical research projects. A qualitative approach was used in collecting and analyzing the data. Students participated in a pilot clinical research project and a received guidance related to their bachelor thesis. After the project was completed, all students filled in a questionnaire. The students' motivation to participate in this study was reported to be high, but they reported low knowledge related to evidence-based practice. All students reported that their attitude towards evidence-based practice changed in a positive direction during their participation in the project. Evidence-based practice influenced nursing practices by putting more focus on critical thinking, increasing pride and giving a sense of ownership in the clinical field. The curricula and the pedagogical perspectives in nursing education can influence the attitude towards evidence-based practice and skills among nursing bachelor students. PMID:27235563
A consensus statement on the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis-From evidence-based medicine to the real-life setting.
Bruyère, Olivier; Cooper, Cyrus; Pelletier, Jean-Pierre; Maheu, Emmanuel; Rannou, François; Branco, Jaime; Luisa Brandi, Maria; Kanis, John A; Altman, Roy D; Hochberg, Marc C; Martel-Pelletier, Johanne; Reginster, Jean-Yves
The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) published a treatment algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in 2014, which provides practical guidance for the prioritization of interventions. Further analysis of real-world data for OA provides additional evidence in support of pharmacological interventions, in terms of management of OA pain and function, avoidance of adverse events, disease-modifying effects and long-term outcomes, e.g., delay of total joint replacement surgery, and pharmacoeconomic factors such as reduction in healthcare resource utilization. This article provides an updated assessment of the literature for selected interventions in OA, focusing on real-life data, with the aim of providing easy-to-follow advice on how to establish a treatment flow in patients with knee OA in primary care clinical practice, in support of the clinicians' individualized assessment of the patient. In step 1, background maintenance therapy with symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis (SYSADOAs) is recommended, for which high-quality evidence is provided only for the prescription formulations of patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. Paracetamol may be added for rescue analgesia only, due to limited efficacy and increasing safety signals. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may provide additional symptomatic treatment with the same degree of efficacy as oral NSAIDs without the systemic safety concerns. Oral NSAIDs maintain a central role in step 2 advanced management of persistent symptoms. However, oral NSAIDs are highly heterogeneous in terms of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular safety profile, and patient stratification with careful treatment selection is advocated to maximize the risk:benefit ratio. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid as a next step provides sustained clinical benefit with effects lasting up to 6 months after a short-course of
ENIGMA--evidence-based network for the interpretation of germline mutant alleles: an international initiative to evaluate risk and clinical significance associated with sequence variation in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
Spurdle, Amanda B; Healey, Sue; Devereau, Andrew; Hogervorst, Frans B L; Monteiro, Alvaro N A; Nathanson, Katherine L; Radice, Paolo; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Tavtigian, Sean; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Couch, Fergus J; Goldgar, David E
As genetic testing for predisposition to human diseases has become an increasingly common practice in medicine, the need for clear interpretation of the test results is apparent. However, for many disease genes, including the breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, a significant fraction of tests results in the detection of a genetic variant for which disease association is not known. The finding of an "unclassified" variant (UV)/variant of uncertain significance (VUS) complicates genetic test reporting and counseling. As these variants are individually rare, a large collaboration of researchers and clinicians will facilitate studies to assess their association with cancer predisposition. It was with this in mind that the ENIGMA consortium (www.enigmaconsortium.org) was initiated in 2009. The membership is both international and interdisciplinary, and currently includes more than 100 research scientists and clinicians from 19 countries. Within ENIGMA, there are presently six working groups focused on the following topics: analysis, clinical, database, functional, tumor histopathology, and mRNA splicing. ENIGMA provides a mechanism to pool resources, exchange methods and data, and coordinately develop and apply algorithms for classification of variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2. It is envisaged that the research and clinical application of models developed by ENIGMA will be relevant to the interpretation of sequence variants in other disease genes. PMID:21990146
A Conditional Model of Evidence-Based Decision Making
Falzer, Paul R.; Garman, D. Melissa
Rationale Efforts to describe how individual treatment decisions are informed by systematic knowledge have been hindered by a standard that gauges the quality of clinical decisions by their adherence to guidelines and evidence-based practices. This paper tests a new contextual standard that gauges the incorporation of knowledge into practice and develops a model of evidence-based decision making. Aims and objectives Previous work found that the forecasted outcome of a treatment guideline exerts a highly significant influence on how it is used in making decisions. This study proposed that forecasted outcomes affect the recognition of a treatment scenario, and this recognition triggers distinct contextual decision strategies. Method N=21 volunteers from a psychiatric residency program responded to 64 case vignettes, 16 in each of four treatment scenarios. The vignettes represented a fully balanced within-subjects design that included guideline switching criteria and patient-specific factors. For each vignette, participants indicated whether they endorsed the guideline's recommendation. Results Clinicians employed consistent contextual decision strategies in responding to clearly positive or negative forecasts. When forecasts were more ambiguous or risky, their strategies became complex and relatively inconsistent. Conclusion The results support a three step model of evidence-based decision making, in which clinicians recognize a decision scenario, apply a simple contextual strategy, then if necessary engage a more complex strategy to resolve discrepancies between general guidelines and specific cases. The paper concludes by noting study limitations and discussing implications of the model for future research in clinical and shared decision making, training, and guideline development. PMID:20367718
Queer challenges to evidence-based practice.
Zeeman, Laetitia; Aranda, Kay; Grant, Alec
This paper aims to queer evidence-based practice by troubling the concepts of evidence, knowledge and mental illness. The evidence-based narrative that emerged within biomedicine has dominated health care. The biomedical notion of 'evidence' has been critiqued extensively and is seen as exclusive and limiting, and even though the social constructionist paradigm attempts to challenge the authority of biomedicine to legitimate what constitutes acceptable evidence or knowledge for those experiencing mental illness, biomedical notions of evidence appear to remain relatively intact. Queer theory offers theoretical tools to disrupt biomedical norms and challenges biomedical normativity to indicate how marginalisation occurs when normative truths about mental health classify those who differ from the norm as 'ill' or 'disordered'. Queer theory's emphasis on normativity serves the political aim to subvert marginalisation and bring about radical social and material change. Reference will be made to mental health subjects within each discourse by indicating how the body acts as a vehicle for knowing. Deleuzian notions of the rhizome are used as metaphor to suggest a relational approach to knowledge that does away with either/or positions in either biomedical, or queer knowledge to arrive at a both/and position where the biomedical, constructionist and queer are interrelated and entangled in needing the other for their own evolution. However, queer does not ask for assimilation but celebrates difference by remaining outside to disrupt that which is easily overlooked, assumed to be natural or represented as the norm. The task of queer knowledge is to do justice to the lives lived in the name of evidence-based practice and demands that we consider the relations of power where knowledge is produced. This pursuit creates different knowledge spaces where we identify new intersections that allow for socially just understandings of knowing or evidence to emerge. PMID:23738815
Progress in evidence based reproductive surgery
Bosteels, J.; Weyers, S.; Siristatidis, C.; Bhattacharya, S.; D'Hooghe, T.
The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) was introduced in 1996 to improve the methodological quality of published reports of randomised controlled trials. By doing a systematic review of randomised controlled trials on reproductive surgery, our group can demonstrate that the overall quality of the published reports of randomised studies on reproductive surgical interventions has improved after CONSORT. Nevertheless, some problems still remain. By discussing the benefits and pitfalls of randomised trials in reproductive surgery, our opinion paper aims to stimulate the reader's further interest in evidence-based practice in reproductive surgery. PMID:24753872
Managing and reviewing evidence-based changes.
Carter, Helen; Price, Lynda
Nurses lead many projects to manage change aimed at improving patient safety and care. This two-part series offers practical guidance on how to bring about an evidence-based change in practice, and how to demonstrate the success, or otherwise, of that change. Part 2 is concerned with discovering why the practice is falling short, how to implement improvements and measure the effect of the changes. It also highlights ways in which nurses can use their work as part of the revalidation process. PMID:27089753
Colposcopy: an evidence-based update.
Dresang, Lee T
Colposcopy is a diagnostic procedure, most commonly used in the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and lower genital tract carcinoma. In this article, evidence-based management strategies are updated with discussion of the 2001 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Consensus Guidelines. Practice management issues include methods to improve cervical cancer screening rates, coding and billing, and telemedicine. Textbooks, CD-ROMs, and courses are listed for new learners and experienced providers who want to update and sharpen their skills. PMID:16148248
Cost Evaluation of Evidence-Based Treatments
Sindelar, Jody L.; Ball, Samuel A.
Many treatment programs have adopted or are considering adopting evidence-based treatments (EBTs). When a program evaluates whether to adopt a new intervention, it must consider program objectives, operational goals, and costs. This article examines cost concepts, cost estimation, and use of cost information to make the final decision on whether to adopt an EBT. Cost categories, including variable and fixed, accounting and opportunity, and costs borne by patients and others, are defined and illustrated using the example of expenditures for contingency management. Ultimately, cost is one consideration in the overall determination of whether implementing an EBT is the best use of a program's resources. PMID:22002453
Observation, Sherlock Holmes, and Evidence Based Medicine.
Osborn, John
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh between 1876 and 1881 under Doctor Joseph Bell who emphasised in his teaching the importance of observation, deduction and evidence. Sherlock Holmes was modelled on Joseph Bell. The modern notions of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) are not new. A very brief indication of some of the history of EBM is presented including a discussion of the important and usually overlooked contribution of statisticians to the Popperian philosophy of EBM. PMID:14509997
Duplex ultrasound, clinical score, thrombotic risk, and D-dimer testing for evidence based diagnosis and management of deep vein thrombosis and alternative diagnoses in the primary care setting and outpatient ward.
Michiels, J J; Moosdorff, W; Maasland, H; Michiels, J M; Lao, M U; Neumann, H A; Dulicek, P; Stvrtinova, V; Barth, J; Palareti, G
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has an annual incidence of 0.2% in the urban population. First episodes of calf vein thrombosis (CVT) and proximal DVT are frequently elicited by risk factors, including varicose veins, cancer, pregnancy/postpartum, oral contraceptives below the age of 50 years, immobility or surgery. Leg pain and tenderness in the calf and popliteal fossa on physical examination may result from other conditions than DVT labeled as alternative diagnosis (AD) Congenital venous thrombophilia is present in every third first DVT, increased FVIII in every fourth first DVT, and FV Leiden/FII mutation in 40% of women on oral anticonceptive pill before reaching the menopause. Routine thrombophilia testing for FV Leiden/prothrombin mutation and FVIII as main risk factor for venous thrombosis is recommended. Primary superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) and DVT patients with a autosomal dominant family history of DVT are candidates for thrombophilia testing for congenital AT, PC and PS deficiency. The requirement for a safe diagnostic strategy of CVT and DVT should be based on an objective post-test incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) of less than 0.1% with a negative predictive value for exclusion of DVT of 99.9% during 3 months follow-up. Modification of the Wells score by elimination of the "minus 2 points" for AD is mandatory and will improve the diagnostic accuracy of CVT/DVT suspicion in the primary care setting and outpatient ward. The sequential use of complete DUS, ELISA D-dimer testing and modified clinical Wells' score assessment is safe and effective for the exclusion and diagnosis of CVT, DVT and AD. About 10% to 20% of patients with DVT develop overt post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) at one year post-DVT, and both PTS and DVT recurrences further increase to about 30% during long-term follow-up. Objective risk stratification of PTS complications using DUS for recanalization and reflux and D-dimer testing will become an integral part in routine
Synthesizing Quantitative Evidence for Evidence-based Nursing: Systematic Review.
Oh, Eui Geum
As evidence-based practice has become an important issue in healthcare settings, the educational needs for knowledge and skills for the generation and utilization of healthcare evidence are increasing. Systematic review (SR), a way of evidence generation, is a synthesis of primary scientific evidence, which summarizes the best evidence on a specific clinical question using a transparent, a priori protocol driven approach. SR methodology requires a critical appraisal of primary studies, data extraction in a reliable and repeatable way, and examination for validity of the results. SRs are considered hierarchically as the highest form of evidence as they are a systematic search, identification, and summarization of the available evidence to answer a focused clinical question with particular attention to the methodological quality of studies or the credibility of opinion and text. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an overview of the fundamental knowledge, principals and processes in SR. The focus of this paper is on SR especially for the synthesis of quantitative data from primary research studies that examines the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. To activate evidence-based nursing care in various healthcare settings, the best and available scientific evidence are essential components. This paper will include some examples to promote understandings. PMID:27349664
Epilepsy, Antiepileptic Drugs, and Aggression: An Evidence-Based Review.
Brodie, Martin J; Besag, Frank; Ettinger, Alan B; Mula, Marco; Gobbi, Gabriella; Comai, Stefano; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Steinhoff, Bernhard J
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have many benefits but also many side effects, including aggression, agitation, and irritability, in some patients with epilepsy. This article offers a comprehensive summary of current understanding of aggressive behaviors in patients with epilepsy, including an evidence-based review of aggression during AED treatment. Aggression is seen in a minority of people with epilepsy. It is rarely seizure related but is interictal, sometimes occurring as part of complex psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities, and it is sometimes associated with AED treatment. We review the common neurotransmitter systems and brain regions implicated in both epilepsy and aggression, including the GABA, glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline systems and the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and temporal lobes. Few controlled clinical studies have used behavioral measures to specifically examine aggression with AEDs, and most evidence comes from adverse event reporting from clinical and observational studies. A systematic approach was used to identify relevant publications, and we present a comprehensive, evidence-based summary of available data surrounding aggression-related behaviors with each of the currently available AEDs in both adults and in children/adolescents with epilepsy. A psychiatric history and history of a propensity toward aggression/anger should routinely be sought from patients, family members, and carers; its presence does not preclude the use of any specific AEDs, but those most likely to be implicated in these behaviors should be used with caution in such cases. PMID:27255267
Epilepsy, Antiepileptic Drugs, and Aggression: An Evidence-Based Review
Besag, Frank; Ettinger, Alan B.; Mula, Marco; Gobbi, Gabriella; Comai, Stefano; Aldenkamp, Albert P.; Steinhoff, Bernhard J.
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have many benefits but also many side effects, including aggression, agitation, and irritability, in some patients with epilepsy. This article offers a comprehensive summary of current understanding of aggressive behaviors in patients with epilepsy, including an evidence-based review of aggression during AED treatment. Aggression is seen in a minority of people with epilepsy. It is rarely seizure related but is interictal, sometimes occurring as part of complex psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities, and it is sometimes associated with AED treatment. We review the common neurotransmitter systems and brain regions implicated in both epilepsy and aggression, including the GABA, glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline systems and the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and temporal lobes. Few controlled clinical studies have used behavioral measures to specifically examine aggression with AEDs, and most evidence comes from adverse event reporting from clinical and observational studies. A systematic approach was used to identify relevant publications, and we present a comprehensive, evidence-based summary of available data surrounding aggression-related behaviors with each of the currently available AEDs in both adults and in children/adolescents with epilepsy. A psychiatric history and history of a propensity toward aggression/anger should routinely be sought from patients, family members, and carers; its presence does not preclude the use of any specific AEDs, but those most likely to be implicated in these behaviors should be used with caution in such cases. PMID:27255267
From both sides now: librarians' experiences at the Rocky Mountain Evidence-Based Health Care Workshop
Traditi, Lisa K.; Le Ber, Jeanne Marie; Beattie, Michelle; Meadows, Susan E.
The Colorado Health Outcomes (COHO) Department of the School of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center (UCHSC) coordinates the Rocky Mountain Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) Workshop, which has been held annually since 1999. The goals of the workshop include helping participants—physicians, pharmacists, health care policy makers, journalists and librarians—learn and apply skills for critically appraising medical research literature and for effective use of evidence-based information resources. Participants are encouraged to share ideas and to plan local services and instruction for those working in clinical settings. Each year, librarians from UCHSC Denison Memorial Library participate as faculty by teaching searching skills (PubMed, Cochrane Library, ACP Journal Club, etc.), providing support to small groups, and staffing two computer labs. In 2002, Denison Library received a National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) MidContinental Region Impact Award to fund the attendance of three health sciences librarians from the MidContinental Region, an academic education librarian, a clinical medical librarian, and a department librarian. In this paper, the participating librarians share the lessons they learned about how health care practitioners approach evidence-based practice. The participating librarians also share how they incorporated these lessons into their support of evidence-based practice related to teaching about evidence-based resources, assisting health care practitioners with developing answerable questions, enhancing the clinician-librarian partnership, and assisting practitioners in selecting evidence-based resources for quick answers to clinical questions. PMID:14762465
Reconstructing data: evidence-based medicine and evidence-based public health in context.
Nadav, Davidovitch; Dani, Filc
The emergence of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) as the gold-standard practice in biomedicine and public health practices represents a significant epistemological turn in modern medicine. The development of Evidence-Based Public Health (EBPH) followed the emergence of Evidence-Based Medicine, as an attempt to ground health policies and interventions on "sound facts". The present paper analyzes the historical and sociological roots of this turn. We evaluate the ethical and social consequences of this transformation, both within the medical profession (the polarization between a medical elite which strengthened its professional status, and a rank and file which experienced a process of "de-professionalization") and in its relationship to the welfare state (the link between the medical elite, EBM, EBPH and the commodification of health care and public health). PMID:17214142
[A new vision of nursing: the evolution and development of evidence-based nursing].
Chiang, Li-Chi
The concept and principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM), first introduced in 1996 in the UK and Canada, have greatly impacted healthcare worldwide. Evidence-based care is a new approach to healthcare that works to reduce the gap between evidence and practice in order to further the scientific credentials and practices of the nursing profession. The revolution in healthcare has perhaps most noticeably impacted the nursing sciences. Today, new methodologies are increasingly synthesizing knowledge, while expanded access to publication resources is creating a new era in evidence-based nursing. Therefore, we expect to see in Taiwan the increased sharing of innovative implementations of evidence-based nursing practice and promotion campaigns and the exploration of a new evidence-based nursing paradigm for incorporating evidence-based concepts into the policymaking process, nursing practice, and nursing education. All scientists in clinical care, education, and research are responsible to establish scientific nursing knowledge in support of the evidence-based nursing practice. PMID:25125163
Drugs and blood transfusions: dogma- or evidence-based practice?
Murdock, J; Watson, D; Dorée, C J; Blest, A; Roberts, M M; Brunskill, S J
There is a lack of consensus on the safety of the coadministration of drugs and red blood cells (RBCs). A systematic review was undertaken to establish the evidence base for this question and assess how the evidence may be translated into present clinical day practice. Comprehensive searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and hand searching of transfusion journals, guidelines and websites identified 12 relevant papers: 11 in-vitro experiments and 1 case report. Data on incidences of haemolysis and agglutination following coadministration were extracted and analysed. Overall findings suggest that iron chelators (two papers), antimicrobials (three papers) and lower doses of opioids (three papers) are safe to coadminister with RBCs. Haemolysis was observed with higher doses of opioids (three papers). Transposition of these findings to clinical practice is limited because of the lack of clinical applicability of in-vitro experiments and diversity in how, and what, clinical outcome measures were used. Further evidence from true clinical settings would be required to inform clinical practice on the efficacy and safety of the coadministration of drugs and RBCs. PMID:19302450
Evidence-Based Practice for Children with Speech Sound Disorders: Part 1 Narrative Review
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Baker, Elise; McLeod, Sharynne
Purpose: This article provides a comprehensive narrative review of intervention studies for children with speech sound disorders (SSD). Its companion paper (Baker & McLeod, 2011) provides a tutorial and clinical example of how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can engage in evidence-based practice (EBP) for this clinical population. Method:…
Generalizability of Evidence-Based Assessment Recommendations for Pediatric Bipolar Disorder
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jenkins, Melissa M.; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Youngstrom, Jennifer Kogos; Feeny, Norah C.; Findling, Robert L.
Bipolar disorder is frequently clinically diagnosed in youths who do not actually satisfy Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision; DSM-IV-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria, yet cases that would satisfy full DSM-IV-TR criteria are often undetected clinically. Evidence-based assessment methods…
Evidence-Based Practice in an Age of Relativism: Toward a Model for Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McNeill, Ted
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered a hallmark of excellence in clinical practice. However, many social workers are uncertain about how to implement this approach to practice. EBP involves integrating clinical expertise and values with the best available evidence from systematic research while simultaneously considering the client's values…
Psychometric Properties and U.S. National Norms of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS)
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Aarons, Gregory A.; Glisson, Charles; Hoagwood, Kimberly; Kelleher, Kelly; Landsverk, John; Cafri, Guy
The Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) assesses mental health and social service provider attitudes toward adopting evidence-based practices. Scores on the EBPAS derive from 4 subscales (i.e., Appeal, Requirements, Openness, and Divergence) as well as the total scale, and preliminary studies have linked EBPAS scores to clinic structure…
Reducing Emergency Department Crowding: Evidence Based Strategies.
Khalifa, Mohamed; Zabani, Ibrahim
Emergency department (ED) crowding has become a major barrier to receiving timely care. King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Saudi Arabia worked on identifying evidence based strategies for reducing the ED crowding by improving the intake. In addition to a review of literature, qualitative survey methods were used to identify strategies, which were classified into 10 suggested procedures categorized into three types of changes. Physical improvements include using physician cubicles, creating a team triage area and an internal waiting area for less acute patients instead of occupying beds. Technology improvements; include using informatics to update the electronic emergency record with information, using palmar scanning to instantly identify patients and using radio communication devices. Process improvements; include a scribe program to decrease clerical documentation tasks, switching between low flow and high flow processes, placing a physician in triage and using patient segmentation methods. PMID:27350468
Sepsis management: An evidence-based approach.
Baig, Muhammad Akbar; Shahzad, Hira; Jamil, Bushra; Hussain, Erfan
The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines have outlined an early goal directed therapy (EGDT) which demonstrates a standardized approach to ensure prompt and effective management of sepsis. Having said that, there are barriers associated with the application of evidence-based practice, which often lead to an overall poorer adherence to guidelines. Considering the global burden of disease, data from low- to middle-income countries is scarce. Asia is the largest continent but most Asian countries do not have a well-developed healthcare system and compliance rates to resuscitation and management bundles are as low as 7.6% and 3.5%, respectively. Intensive care units are not adequately equipped and financial concerns limit implementation of expensive treatment strategies. Healthcare policy-makers should be notified in order to alleviate financial restrictions and ensure delivery of standard care to septic patients. PMID:26968289
Rural Doctors' Views on and Experiences with Evidence-Based Medicine: The FrEEDoM Qualitative Study
Hisham, Ranita; Liew, Su May; Ng, Chirk Jenn; Mohd Nor, Kamaliah; Osman, Iskandar Firzada; Ho, Gah Juan; Hamzah, Nurazira; Glasziou, Paul
Background Evidence-based medicine is the integration of individual clinical expertise, best external evidence and patient values which was introduced more than two decades ago. Yet, primary care physicians in Malaysia face unique barriers in accessing scientific literature and applying it to their clinical practice. Aim This study aimed to explore the views and experiences of rural doctors' about evidence-based medicine in their daily clinical practice in a rural primary care setting. Methods Qualitative methodology was used. The interviews were conducted in June 2013 in two rural health clinics in Malaysia. The participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Four focus group discussions with 15 medical officers and three individual in-depth interviews with family medicine specialists were carried out. All interviews were conducted using a topic guide and were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, checked and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results Key themes identified were: (1) doctors viewed evidence-based medicine mainly as statistics, research and guidelines, (2) reactions to evidence-based medicine were largely negative, (3) doctors relied on specialists, peers, guidelines and non-evidence based internet sources for information, (4) information sources were accessed using novel methods such as mobile applications and (5) there are several barriers to evidence-based practice, including doctor-, evidence-based medicine-, patient- and system-related factors. These included inadequacies in knowledge, attitude, management support, time and access to evidence-based information sources. Participants recommended the use of online services to support evidence-based practice in the rural settings. Conclusion The level of evidence-based practice is low in the rural setting due to poor awareness, knowledge, attitude and resources. Doctors use non-evidence based sources and access them through new methods such as messaging applications. Further research is
Research fellowship programs as a pathway for training independent clinical pharmacy scientists.
Mueller, Eric W; Bishop, Jeffrey R; Kanaan, Abir O; Kiser, Tyree H; Phan, Hanna; Yang, Katherine Y
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Research Affairs Committee published a commentary in 2013 on training clinical pharmacy scientists in the context of changes in economic, professional, political, and research environments. The commentary centered on the opportunities for pharmacists in clinical/translational research including strategies for ACCP, colleges of pharmacy, and the profession to increase the number and impact of clinical pharmacy scientists. A postdoctoral fellowship is cited as a current training pathway, capable of producing independent and productive pharmacy researchers. However, a decline in the number of programs, decreased funding availability, and variability in fellowship program activities and research focus have brought into question the relevance of this research training pathway to meet demand and opportunities. In response to these points, this commentary examines the state of research fellowship training including the current ACCP research fellowship review process, the need for standardization of research fellowship programs, and strategies to strengthen and promote research fellowships as relevant researcher training pathways. PMID:25756755
Evidence Base Update for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Smith, Tristram; Iadarola, Suzannah
This evidence base update examines the level of empirical support for interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) younger than 5 years old. It focuses on research published since a previous review in this journal (Rogers & Vismara, 2008 ). We identified psychological or behavioral interventions that had been manualized and evaluated in either (a) experimental or quasi-experimental group studies or (b) systematic reviews of single-subject studies. We extracted data from all studies that met these criteria and were published after the previous review. Interventions were categorized across two dimensions. First, primary theoretical principles included applied behavior analysis (ABA), developmental social-pragmatic (DSP), or both. Second, practice elements included scope (comprehensive or focused), modality (individual intervention with the child, parent training, or classrooms), and intervention targets (e.g., spoken language or alternative and augmentative communication). We classified two interventions as well-established (individual, comprehensive ABA and teacher-implemented, focused ABA + DSP), 3 as probably efficacious (individual, focused ABA for augmentative and alternative communication; individual, focused ABA + DSP; and focused DSP parent training), and 5 as possibly efficacious (individual, comprehensive ABA + DSP; comprehensive ABA classrooms; focused ABA for spoken communication; focused ABA parent training; and teacher-implemented, focused DSP). The evidence base for ASD interventions has grown substantially since 2008. An increasing number of interventions have some empirical support; others are emerging as potentially efficacious. Priorities for future research include improving outcome measures, developing interventions for understudied ASD symptoms (e.g., repetitive behaviors), pinpointing mechanisms of action in interventions, and adapting interventions for implementation with fidelity by community providers. PMID:26430947
"Evidence-Based Dentistry in Oral Surgery: Could We Do Better?"
Nocini, Pier Francesco; Verlato, Giuseppe; Frustaci, Andrea; de Gemmis, Antonio; Rigoni, Giovanni; De Santis, Daniele
Evidence-based Dentistry (EBD), like Evidence-based Medicine (EBM), was born in order to seek the "best available research evidence" in the field of dentistry both in research and clinical routine. But evidence is not clearly measurable in all fields of healthcare: in particular, while drug effect is rather independent from clinician's characteristics, the effectiveness of surgical procedures is strictly related to surgeon's expertise, which is difficult to quantify. The research problems of dentistry have a lot in common with other surgical fields, where at the moment the best therapeutic recommendations and guidelines originates from an integration of evidence-based medicine and data from consensus conferences. To cope with these problems, new instruments have been developed, aimed at standardizing clinical procedures (CAD-CAM technology) and at integrating EBM achievements with the opinions of expert clinicians (GRADE System). One thing we have to remember however: it is necessary to use the instruments developed by evidence-based medicine but is impossible to produce sound knowledge without considering clinical expertise and quality of surgical procedures simultaneously. Only in this way we will obtain an evidence-based dentistry both in dental research and clinical practice, which is up to third millennium standards. PMID:20871758
Toward Evidence-Based Transport of Evidence-Based Treatments: MST as an Example
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schoenwald, Sonja K.
This article describes the journey toward evidence-based transport and implementation in usual care settings of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for youth with drug abuse and behavioral problems (Henggeler, Schoenwald, Borduin, Rowland, & Cunningham, 1998). Research and experience informing the design of the MST transport strategy, progress in…
Evaluating competency to stand trial with evidence-based practice.
Rogers, Richard; Johansson-Love, Jill
Evaluations for competency to stand trial are distinguished from other areas of forensic consultation by their long history of standardized assessment beginning in the 1970s. As part of a special issue of the Journal on evidence-based forensic practice, this article examines three published competency measures: the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA), the Evaluation of Competency to Stand Trial-Revised (ECST-R), and the Competence Assessment for Standing Trial for Defendants with Mental Retardation (CAST-MR). Using the Daubert guidelines as a framework, we examined each competency measure regarding its relevance to the Dusky standard and its error and classification rates. The article acknowledges the past polarization of forensic practitioners on acceptance versus rejection of competency measures. It argues that no valuable information, be it clinical acumen or standardized data, should be systematically ignored. Consistent with the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Practice Guideline, it recommends the integration of competency interview findings with other sources of data in rendering evidence-based competency determinations. PMID:20018994
A prototype system to support evidence-based practice.
Demner-Fushman, Dina; Seckman, Charlotte; Fisher, Cheryl; Hauser, Susan E; Clayton, Jennifer; Thoma, George R
Translating evidence into clinical practice is a complex process that depends on the availability of evidence, the environment into which the research evidence is translated, and the system that facilitates the translation. This paper presents InfoBot, a system designed for automatic delivery of patient-specific information from evidence-based resources. A prototype system has been implemented to support development of individualized patient care plans. The prototype explores possibilities to automatically extract patients problems from the interdisciplinary team notes and query evidence-based resources using the extracted terms. Using 4,335 de-identified interdisciplinary team notes for 525 patients, the system automatically extracted biomedical terminology from 4,219 notes and linked resources to 260 patient records. Sixty of those records (15 each for Pediatrics, Oncology & Hematology, Medical & Surgical, and Behavioral Health units) have been selected for an ongoing evaluation of the quality of automatically proactively delivered evidence and its usefulness in development of care plans. PMID:18998835
Evidence-based Medicine Search: a customizable federated search engine
Bracke, Paul J.; Howse, David K.; Keim, Samuel M.
Purpose: This paper reports on the development of a tool by the Arizona Health Sciences Library (AHSL) for searching clinical evidence that can be customized for different user groups. Brief Description: The AHSL provides services to the University of Arizona's (UA's) health sciences programs and to the University Medical Center. Librarians at AHSL collaborated with UA College of Medicine faculty to create an innovative search engine, Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) Search, that provides users with a simple search interface to EBM resources and presents results organized according to an evidence pyramid. EBM Search was developed with a web-based configuration component that allows the tool to be customized for different specialties. Outcomes/Conclusion: Informal and anecdotal feedback from physicians indicates that EBM Search is a useful tool with potential in teaching evidence-based decision making. While formal evaluation is still being planned, a tool such as EBM Search, which can be configured for specific user populations, may help lower barriers to information resources in an academic health sciences center. PMID:18379665
[Health economics, medical ethics, and evidence-based medicine].
Stelmach, Włodzimierz; Bryła, Marek; Stelmach, Iwona; Denys, Andrzej
The paper is based on the assumption that the management on different levels of decision-making requires not only strictly medical knowledge, but also the competence to make use of the acquisitions of health economics as well as certain knowledge of the principles of medical ethics and research methods applied in the evidence-based medicine. So far the relevant scientific literature lacks any attempts to analyse the common and separate features of the three fields mentioned above. Therefore, this paper aims at filling this gap. The objective is going to be met by acquainting the reader with the historical development of the three disciplines. Emphasis will be put on the existing definitions and scope of the health economics, medical ethics and evidence-based medicine. The concluding remarks contain the authors' conviction that this paper will contribute to make the medical environment more interested in the presented issues and thus constitute the first step to work out solutions which could be applied in clinical practice in the future. PMID:12666439
[Evidence based therapy with insulin in diabetic patients].
Jermendy, György
A fast development in therapy with insulin was observed after its discovery. Besides the widely used human regular insulin preparations, nowadays ultrashort and long-acting insulin analogues are also available for the patients. At present, the results of large clinical trials enable an evidence based diabetes care. It is well documented, that near-normoglycemia should be achieved by intensive conservative insulin treatment or pump therapy in type 1 diabetic patients. The beneficial effects of the good metabolic control could also be observed years later concerning late specific complications of diabetes. Similarly, as good as possible metabolic control should be aimed with antidiabetic treatment including insulin, if necessary, in type 2 diabetic patients. It is documented that the risk of cardiovascular complications is not increased in type 2 diabetic patients treated with insulin. Hypoglycemia and weight gain are the most important side effects of the insulin treatment. Recently, evidence based recommendations for treatment with ultrashort (insulin lispro, insulin aspart) and long-acting insulin analogues (glargine) can also be determined. PMID:15803885
Evidence-based management of sport-related concussion.
McCrea, Michael; Guskiewicz, Kevin
Concussion is not only one of the most common injuries encountered by athletes participating in contact and collision sports, but also among the most complex injuries to manage in a sports medicine setting. Over the past two decades, we have made great progress in advancing the basic and clinical science of concussion. These advances have had enormous clinical translational value for developing evidence-based guidelines for management of concussion in sports. Applied clinical research has clarified the defining characteristics of sport-related concussion (SRC) that support new diagnostic criteria. At the same time, major advancements have been realized in the development and validation of clinical tools that allow a more objective and accurate assessment of concussion and performance-based measures of recovery. These tools provide clinicians with a more informed basis for determining an athlete's cognitive and physical fitness to return to competition after concussion. Standardized injury management protocols that systematically prescribe rest, graded activity, and return to play have been adopted in nearly all clinical settings. Herein, we briefly summarize the findings and recommendations from several national and international consensus guidelines and position statements on best practice in the evaluation and management of SRC. PMID:24923397
Treatment of cutaneous warts: an evidence-based review.
Dall'oglio, Federica; D'Amico, Valentina; Nasca, Maria R; Micali, Giuseppe
Cutaneous warts are common skin lesions caused by human papillomavirus infection. Treatment is aimed at relieving the patient's physical and psychological discomfort and at preventing the spread of infection by autoinoculation. Among the available medical and destructive therapeutic options for cutaneous warts, none is uniformly effective or virucidal. Moreover, in most cases their safety and efficacy has not been assessed in double-blind, controlled clinical trials, so that the reproducibility of many of the listed treatments is difficult to evaluate and a possible placebo effect cannot be ruled out. The aim of this article is to describe the outcome of current therapies for each clinical wart type according to evidence-based medicine studies published in the literature. For each clinical form, the existing treatments are classified as first-, second-, and third-line therapy. First-line therapy includes medical treatments (salicylic acid, silver nitrate, glutaraldehyde) that are useful to treat a single wart or a few and/or small common warts of short duration (less than 1 year). If these treatments have failed or are contraindicated, cryotherapy may be considered as second-line therapy. For recurrent or difficult-to-treat lesions, third-line therapy includes a variety of alternative therapeutic options (topical, intralesional, systemic, and physical destruction) that are generally off-label (not US FDA approved), and whose use is limited by drawbacks or adverse effects. From pooled evidence-based medicine data, it is possible to conclude that significantly higher remission rates may be expected only with cryotherapy and salicylic acid used in combination. PMID:22292461
The ABCs of Evidence-Based Practice for Teachers
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kretlow, Allison G.; Blatz, Sharon L.
It is critical teachers adhere to federal policies regarding evidence-based practices. Quickly identifying and effectively using evidence-based programs and practices is particularly important for special educators, because students in special education often already have academic or behavioral deficits. Using evidence-based practices with…
Evidence-Based Health Policy: A Preliminary Systematic Review
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Morgan, Gareth
Objective: The development of evidence-based health policy is challenging. This study has attempted to identify some of the underpinning factors that promote the development of evidence based health policy. Methods: A preliminary systematic literature review of published reviews with "evidence based health policy" in their title was conducted…
Staying in the Clinical Ballpark while Running the Evidence Bases
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chorpita, Bruce F.; Viesselman, John O.
Leimomi was a 16-year-old female of Asian Pacific Island descent born and raised on Oahu who was referred to the Department of Health's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD) by her public school student services coordinator for running away, chronic truancy, aggressiveness, and drug abuse. She had been diagnosed with systemic lupus…
Evidence-based treatment for ankle injuries: a clinical perspective
Lin, Chung-Wei Christine; Hiller, Claire E; de Bie, Rob A
The most common ankle injuries are ankle sprain and ankle fracture. This review discusses treatments for ankle sprain (including the management of the acute sprain and chronic instability) and ankle fracture, using evidence from recent systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials. After ankle sprain, there is evidence for the use of functional support and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. There is weak evidence suggesting that the use of manual therapy may lead to positive short-term effects. Electro-physical agents do not appear to enhance outcomes and are not recommended. Exercise may reduce the occurrence of recurrent ankle sprains and may be effective in managing chronic ankle instability. After surgical fixation for ankle fracture, an early introduction of activity, administered via early weight-bearing or exercise during the immobilization period, may lead to better outcomes. However, the use of a brace or orthosis to enable exercise during the immobilization period may also lead to a higher rate of adverse events, suggesting that this treatment regimen needs to be applied judiciously. After the immobilization period, the focus of treatment for ankle fracture should be on a progressive exercise program. PMID:21655420
Implementation of evidence-based practice by nurses working in community settings and their strategies to mentor student nurses to develop evidence-based practice: A qualitative study.
Brooke, Joanne Mary; Mallion, Jaimee
The aim of the study was to explore how community nurses apply the best available evidence to their practice, and how they mentor student nurses to conceptualize and implement evidence-based practice in community settings. In the UK, the expansion of health-care provision in the community has supported the development of highly skilled community nurses. However, there is limited literature regarding the strategies used by community nurses to implement evidence-based practice and mentor student nurses to conceptualize evidence-based practice in community placements. An exploratory qualitative approach applying inductive reasoning to focus group data was used. As a result, nurses working for a community NHS Foundation Trust in South England with a mentor qualification were invited to participate in one of the seven focus groups, 33 nurses participated. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis. The themes discussed in this paper are: 'our practice is evidence-based' as guidelines and policies provided structure, but occasionally stifled autonomous clinical decision-making, and 'time' as a barrier and facilitator to mentoring student nurses in community settings. In conclusion, nurses need to develop the ability to incorporate patients' needs and wishes within evidence-based care. Time was a facilitator for some community mentors, but protected time is required to complete the necessary practice documentation of student nurses. PMID:27562665
Evidence-Based Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine III: Treatment of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
Chiappelli, Francesco; Navarro, Audrey M.; Moradi, David R.; Manfrini, Ercolano; Prolo, Paolo
This paper presents the novel domain of evidence-based research (EBR) in the treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from the perspective of traditional medicine and of complementary and alternative medicine. In earlier lectures we have described the process of evidence-based medicine as a methodological approach to clinical practice that is directed to aid clinical decision-making. Here, we present a practical example of this approach with respect to traditional pharmacological interventions and to complementary and alternative treatments for patients with AD. PMID:17173104
Beyond journal clubs. Moving toward an integrated evidence-based medicine curriculum.
Hatala, Rose; Keitz, Sheri A; Wilson, Mark C; Guyatt, Gordon
Incorporating evidence-based medicine (EBM) into clinical practice is an important competency that residency training must address. Residency program directors, and the clinical educators who work with them, should develop curricula to enhance residents' capacity for independent evidence-based practice. In this article, the authors argue that residency programs must move beyond journal club formats to promote the practice of EBM by trainees. The authors highlight the limitations of journal club, and suggest additional curricular approaches for an integrated EBM curriculum. Helping residents become effective evidence users will require a sustained effort on the part of residents, faculty, and their educational institutions. PMID:16704406
Implementation of evidence-based practice: A naturopath perspective.
Ooi, Soo Liang; Rae, John; Pak, Sok Cheon
Evidence-based practice (EBP), an approach to clinical practice that places emphasis on the use of best available research evidence for decision-making, has been adopted broadly in clinical practice. As a patient-focused approach, EBP promotes the spirit of inquiry. It can also facilitate consistency of care across professional boundaries, and clarify the directions of research. However, over-emphasis on systematic reviews and randomised control trials as the "gold standard" for evidence is a major limitation of EBP as it is being practised today. There are also objections to EBP based on epistemological grounds. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies often fare unfavourably under the scrutiny of EBP due to the lack of research and inherent differences in healing ideology. Naturopathy is a unique form of CAM, based on both traditional and scientific knowledge. We argue that there is no conflict between naturopathy and EBP. EBP can be adopted as a useful approach to assimilate scientific evidence in naturopathic practices. However, naturopaths need to reconcile tensions between traditional and scientific knowledge in their choice of treatment remedies, while adhering to the naturopathic principles of healing, to benefit the patients. They must also maintain their emphasis on clinical expertise, and also patient preferences and values, in clinical decision-making. PMID:26850801
Evidence-based medicine in HBP surgery: Is there any?
Thorlacius, Henrik
Background. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has become widely accepted as a basis for clinical decision in many fields of medicine. This review examines the specific role of EBM in hepato-biliary and pancreatic (HBP) surgery. EBM relies on four main sources, including clinical guidelines, meta-analyses, primary information and clinical experience. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) constitute the cornerstone of EBM and a recent study reported that there are relatively few RCTs evaluating the effectiveness of surgical therapies and procedures (1,530 out of 45,342 or 3.4% in five leading surgical journals) and only a few in HBP surgery. Although the effort must be to implement EBM as far as possible in HBP surgery, there are several obstacles to conducting RCTs in HBP surgery, including problems associated with standardization of surgical skills, sham-operations often impossible to perform, and the general applicability of specific findings may be uncertain. Discussion. This paper will provide two relevant examples of EBM in HBP surgery in patients with hepatic metastases and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, illustrating some problems but also the potential of introducing EBM in HBP surgery. In the future, our effort must be devoted to implementing EBM in applicable areas of HBP surgery but also remembering that in certain areas accumulated knowledge from observational studies, including drainage of abscesses and surgical treatment of intestinal obstruction, may have similar or even higher clinical value than RCTs. PMID:18333189
[Evidence-based therapy of polycystic ovarian syndrome].
Gődény, Sándor; Csenteri, Orsolya Karola
Polycystic ovary syndrome is recognized as the most common hormonal and metabolic disorder likely to affect women. The heterogeneous endocrinopathy is characterized by clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism, oligo- or amenorrhoea, anovulatory infertility, and polycystic ovarian morphology. The syndrome is often associated with obesity, hyperinsulinemia and adversely affects endocrine, metabolic, and cardiovascular health. The symptoms and complaint of the patients vary with age. To maximise health gain of the syndrome, adequate, evidence based effective, efficient and safe treatment is necessary. This article summarises the highest available evidence provided by studies, meta-analysis and systematic reviews about the therapeutical possibilities for treating obesity, hyperandrogenism, menstrual abnormalities, infertility and psychological problems related to polycystic ovary syndrome. PMID:26551444
Immersive Interprofessional Education Using an Evidence-Based Practice Course.
Hale, LaDonna S; DiLollo, Anthony
Beyond medical knowledge and clinical skills, physician assistant curricula must include instruction in collaborative, interprofessional, patient-centered, evidence-based practice (EBP). Development and implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) are challenging. This article describes a replicable model for an interprofessional graduate-level course that incorporates both exposure and immersion, allowing students to develop and demonstrate the Interprofessional Education Collaborative's 38 core competencies for interprofessional, collaborative decision making and problem solving while also acquiring functional skills in EBP. Pre- and postcourse surveys demonstrated both improved student self-confidence with EBP skills and appreciation for an interprofessional approach to patient care. Barriers to, and facilitators of, development and implementation of IPE courses, as well as effective IPE strategies and tools, are discussed. PMID:27548762
Knowledge sources for evidence-based practice in rheumatology nursing.
Neher, Margit; Ståhl, Christian; Ellström, Per-Erik; Nilsen, Per
As rheumatology nursing develops and extends, knowledge about current use of knowledge in rheumatology nursing practice may guide discussions about future knowledge needs. To explore what perceptions rheumatology nurses have about their knowledge sources and about what knowledge they use in their practice, 12 nurses working in specialist rheumatology were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. The analysis yielded four types of knowledge sources in clinical practice: interaction with others in the workplace, contacts outside the workplace, written materials, and previous knowledge and experience. Colleagues, and physicians in particular, were important for informal learning in daily rheumatology practice. Evidence from the medical arena was accessed through medical specialists, while nursing research was used less. Facilitating informal learning and continuing formal education is proposed as a way toward a more evidence-based practice in extended roles. PMID:25059719
[Computer work and De Quervain's tenosynovitis: an evidence based approach].
Gigante, M R; Martinotti, I; Cirla, P E
The debate around the role of the work at personal computer as cause of De Quervain's Tenosynovitis was developed partially, without considering multidisciplinary available data. A systematic review of the literature, using an evidence-based approach, was performed. In disorders associated with the use of VDU, we must distinguish those at the upper limbs and among them those related to an overload. Experimental studies on the occurrence of De Quervain's Tenosynovitis are quite limited, as well as clinically are quite difficult to prove the professional etiology, considering the interference due to other activities of daily living or to the biological susceptibility (i.e. anatomical variability, sex, age, exercise). At present there is no evidence of any connection between De Quervain syndrome and time of use of the personal computer or keyboard, limited evidence of correlation is found with time using a mouse. No data are available regarding the use exclusively or predominantly for personal laptops or mobile "smart phone". PMID:23405595
Achievements and Limitations of Evidence-Based Medicine.
Sheridan, Desmond J; Julian, Desmond G
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has a long history, but was revived in the early 1990s by a campaign mounted by a movement that took its name. The EBM movement focused attention on the need for greater objectivity in medical decision-making and led to the Cochrane Collaboration, which provides reviews of evidence on the basis of comparative research. Important limitations of EBM's effect on medicine have also emerged. Failure to acknowledge the limitations of clinical trials and systematic reviews has limited their applicability to individual patients' circumstances. An almost exclusive focus on drugs and devices has left vast areas of health care in an evidence vacuum. An overdependence on commissions for its research may have limited its independence in selecting what it investigates. EBM needs to widen its scope beyond drugs and devices to address many areas that often lack evidence at present, notably, health policy, management, and reforms. PMID:27386775
Implementation of evidence-based practice and organizational performance.
Hovmand, Peter S; Gillespie, David F
Administrators of mental health services may expect evidence-based practice (EBP) to offer strategic benefits. Existing theory suggests that the benefits of implementing EBP vary by organizational characteristics. This paper presents a conceptual framework for considering how implementation impacts organizational performance. The framework is developed as a system dynamics simulation model based on existing literature, organizational theory, and key informant interviews with mental health services administrators and clinical directors. Results from the simulations show how gains in performance depended on organizations' initial inertia and initial efficiency and that only the most efficient organizations may see benefits in organizational performance from implementing EBP. Implications for administrators, policy makers, and services researchers are discussed. PMID:19085109
Integration of Evidence Base into a Probabilistic Risk Assessment
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Saile, Lyn; Lopez, Vilma; Bickham, Grandin; Kerstman, Eric; FreiredeCarvalho, Mary; Byrne, Vicky; Butler, Douglas; Myers, Jerry; Walton, Marlei
INTRODUCTION: A probabilistic decision support model such as the Integrated Medical Model (IMM) utilizes an immense amount of input data that necessitates a systematic, integrated approach for data collection, and management. As a result of this approach, IMM is able to forecasts medical events, resource utilization and crew health during space flight. METHODS: Inflight data is the most desirable input for the Integrated Medical Model. Non-attributable inflight data is collected from the Lifetime Surveillance for Astronaut Health study as well as the engineers, flight surgeons, and astronauts themselves. When inflight data is unavailable cohort studies, other models and Bayesian analyses are used, in addition to subject matters experts input on occasion. To determine the quality of evidence of a medical condition, the data source is categorized and assigned a level of evidence from 1-5; the highest level is one. The collected data reside and are managed in a relational SQL database with a web-based interface for data entry and review. The database is also capable of interfacing with outside applications which expands capabilities within the database itself. Via the public interface, customers can access a formatted Clinical Findings Form (CLiFF) that outlines the model input and evidence base for each medical condition. Changes to the database are tracked using a documented Configuration Management process. DISSCUSSION: This strategic approach provides a comprehensive data management plan for IMM. The IMM Database s structure and architecture has proven to support additional usages. As seen by the resources utilization across medical conditions analysis. In addition, the IMM Database s web-based interface provides a user-friendly format for customers to browse and download the clinical information for medical conditions. It is this type of functionality that will provide Exploratory Medicine Capabilities the evidence base for their medical condition list
Subjective evidence based ethnography: method and applications.
Lahlou, Saadi; Le Bellu, Sophie; Boesen-Mariani, Sabine
Subjective Evidence Based Ethnography (SEBE) is a method designed to access subjective experience. It uses First Person Perspective (FPP) digital recordings as a basis for analytic Replay Interviews (RIW) with the participants. This triggers their memory and enables a detailed step by step understanding of activity: goals, subgoals, determinants of actions, decision-making processes, etc. This paper describes the technique and two applications. First, the analysis of professional practices for know-how transferring purposes in industry is illustrated with the analysis of nuclear power-plant operators' gestures. This shows how SEBE enables modelling activity, describing good and bad practices, risky situations, and expert tacit knowledge. Second, the analysis of full days lived by Polish mothers taking care of their children is described, with a specific focus on how they manage their eating and drinking. This research has been done on a sub-sample of a large scale intervention designed to increase plain water drinking vs sweet beverages. It illustrates the interest of SEBE as an exploratory technique in complement to other more classic approaches such as questionnaires and behavioural diaries. It provides the detailed "how" of the effects that are measured at aggregate level by other techniques. PMID:25579747
Practicing the skills of evidence-based veterinary medicine through case-based pharmacology rounds.
Fajt, Virginia R; Brown, Dimitri; Scott, Maya M
Accessing new knowledge and using it to make decisions is the foundation of evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM), the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and owner/manager values. Reflecting on our experience with an EBVM-based clinical pharmacology assignment during a clinical rotation, we present the justification for the addition of an EBVM assignment to the clinical (fourth) year at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. We also present an in-depth analysis of the addition, recommendations for the assessment of this exercise as a method of improving evidence-based veterinary practice, and recommendations and implications for other instructors interested in adding EBVM-related learning to their professional curricula. We recommend adding EBVM skill practice in pre-clinical training, abbreviated exercises in EBVM skills on clinical rotations, and increased attention to critical-thinking skills in veterinary education. PMID:19625667
Brain SPECT Imaging in Complex Psychiatric Cases: An Evidence-Based, Underutilized Tool
Amen, Daniel G; Trujillo, Manuel; Newberg, Andrew; Willeumier, Kristen; Tarzwell, Robert; Wu, Joseph C; Chaitin, Barry
Over the past 20 years brain Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging has developed a substantial, evidence-based foundation and is now recommended by professional societies for numerous indications relevant to psychiatric practice. Unfortunately, SPECT in clinical practice is utilized by only a handful of clinicians. This article presents a rationale for a more widespread use of SPECT in clinical practice for complex cases, and includes seven clinical applications where it may help optimize patient care. PMID:21863144
Stroke Best Practices: a team approach to evidence-based care.
Alberts, Mark J.; Easton, J. Donald
Reducing the high morbidity and mortality associated with stroke continues to be a major healthcare challenge in the United States. Recent advances in the management and prevention of atherothrombotic events are significant; however, the clinical application of evidence-based "best practices" is lagging in many hospitals across the country. The "Stroke Best Practices" program was designed to assist institutions that lack established stroke centers integrate recent evidence-based recommendations into individualized, in-hospital initiatives to optimize the management of acute stroke, prevent secondary vascular events, and enhance the quality of care for patients with established cerebrovascular disease. Programs that bridge the gap between evidence-based medicine and clinical practice can improve patient outcomes. Images Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:15104312
StaR Child Health: developing evidence-based guidance for the design, conduct, and reporting of pediatric trials.
Hartling, L; Wittmeier, K D M; Caldwell, P H; van der Lee, J H; Klassen, T P; Craig, J C; Offringa, M
Standards for Research in (StaR) Child Health was founded in 2009 to address the paucity and shortcomings of pediatric clinical trials. This initiative involves international experts who are dedicated to developing practical, evidence-based standards to enhance the reliability and relevance of pediatric clinical research. Through a systematic "knowledge to action" plan, StaR Child Health will make efforts to improve and expand the evidence base for child health across the world. PMID:21993427
Shared decision making in chronic care in the context of evidence based practice in nursing.
Friesen-Storms, Jolanda H H M; Bours, Gerrie J J W; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna J H M
In the decision-making environment of evidence-based practice, the following three sources of information must be integrated: research evidence of the intervention, clinical expertise, and the patient's values. In reality, evidence-based practice usually focuses on research evidence (which may be translated into clinical practice guidelines) and clinical expertise without considering the individual patient's values. The shared decision-making model seems to be helpful in the integration of the individual patient's values in evidence-based practice. We aim to discuss the relevance of shared decision making in chronic care and to suggest how it can be integrated with evidence-based practice in nursing. We start by describing the following three possible approaches to guide the decision-making process: the paternalistic approach, the informed approach, and the shared decision-making approach. Implementation of shared decision making has gained considerable interest in cases lacking a strong best-treatment recommendation, and when the available treatment options are equivalent to some extent. We discuss that in chronic care it is important to always invite the patient to participate in the decision-making process. We delineate the following six attributes of health care interventions in chronic care that influence the degree of shared decision making: the level of research evidence, the number of available intervention options, the burden of side effects, the impact on lifestyle, the patient group values, and the impact on resources. Furthermore, the patient's willingness to participate in shared decision making, the clinical expertise of the nurse, and the context in which the decision making takes place affect the shared decision-making process. A knowledgeable and skilled nurse with a positive attitude towards shared decision making—integrated with evidence-based practice—can facilitate the shared decision-making process. We conclude that nurses as well as other
Information systems: the key to evidence-based health practice.
Rodrigues, R. J.
Increasing prominence is being given to the use of best current evidence in clinical practice and health services and programme management decision-making. The role of information in evidence-based practice (EBP) is discussed, together with questions of how advanced information systems and technology (IS&T) can contribute to the establishment of a broader perspective for EBP. The author examines the development, validation and use of a variety of sources of evidence and knowledge that go beyond the well-established paradigm of research, clinical trials, and systematic literature review. Opportunities and challenges in the implementation and use of IS&T and knowledge management tools are examined for six application areas: reference databases, contextual data, clinical data repositories, administrative data repositories, decision support software, and Internet-based interactive health information and communication. Computerized and telecommunications applications that support EBP follow a hierarchy in which systems, tasks and complexity range from reference retrieval and the processing of relatively routine transactions, to complex "data mining" and rule-driven decision support systems. PMID:11143195
Evidence-based medicine and levels of evidence.
Wallace, David K
Evidence-based medicine is the practice of making medical decisions based on evidence gained from applying the scientific method. Published studies are evaluated using three key questions: "Are the results valid?"; "What are the results?"; and "Can the results be applied to my patients?" The hierarchy of study methods for obtaining evidence is, in order from least to most useful: laboratory research, editorials, case reports and series, case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized clinical trials. Retrospective case series can suffer from problems such as selection of a biased sample, mixing of treatment effects, and lack of control group. Randomized clinical trials (and meta-analyses of multiple trials) provide the highest level of evidence because randomization limits confounding and prevents bias of treatment assignment. In addition, randomized trials have standardization of interventions, prospective data collection, and masked outcome measures. Although every question cannot be addressed by a randomized clinical trial, the best available evidence should be sought and used to guide treatments. PMID:21061876
Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Ethnic Minority Youth
Huey, Stanley J.; Polo, Antonio J.
This article reviews research on evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for ethnic minority youth using criteria from Chambless et al. (1998), Chambless et al. (1996), and Chambless and Hollon (1998). Although no well-established treatments were identified, probably efficacious or possibly efficacious treatments were found for ethnic minority youth with anxiety-related problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, conduct problems, substance use problems, trauma-related syndromes, and other clinical problems. In addition, all studies met either Nathan and Gorman's (2002) Type 1 or Type 2 methodological criteria. A brief meta-analysis showed overall treatment effects of medium magnitude (d = .44). Effects were larger when EBTs were compared to no treatment (d = .58) or psychological placebos (d = .51) versus treatment as usual (d = .22). Youth ethnicity (African American, Latino, mixed/other minority), problem type, clinical severity, diagnostic status, and culture-responsive treatment status did not moderate treatment outcome. Most studies had low statistical power and poor representation of less acculturated youth. Few tests of cultural adaptation effects have been conducted in the literature and culturally validated outcome measures are mostly lacking. Recommendations for clinical practice and future research directions are provided. PMID:18444061
[The philosophical foundations of evidence-based nursing].
Wang, Linton; Ma, Wei-Fen
As a branch of evidence-based practice, evidence-based nursing emphasizes the integration of patient needs, the evidence for practical problem solving, and the application of nursing expertise. The criteria of evidence and the application of evidence in practice are the central theoretical foundations of evidence-based practice and evidence-based nursing. Therefore, the main philosophical considerations of evidence-based nursing shall focus on the criteria by which evidence supports propositions and how evidence should be applied in practice. In this paper, we explain the criteria of evidence from an epistemological perspective and explain the application of evidence in practice from the perspective of rational decision-making. Finally, we use these philosophical considerations to propose practical guidelines for evidence-based nursing and explain the philosophical significance of nursing practice. PMID:24096459
Developing evidence-based immunization recommendations and GRADE.
Duclos, P; Durrheim, D N; Reingold, A L; Bhutta, Z A; Vannice, K; Rees, H
The Strategic Group of Advisory Experts (SAGE) on immunization is an independent advisory committee with a mandate to advise the World Health Organization (WHO) on the development of vaccine and immunization related policies. SAGE working groups are established on a time-limited basis to review and provide evidence-based recommendations, together with their implications, for open deliberation and decision-making by SAGE. In making its recommendations, SAGE takes into consideration: the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of the disease; vaccine and immunization characteristics; economic analysis; health system considerations; the existence of and interaction with other intervention and control strategies; costing and social impacts; and legal and ethical concerns. Since 1998, WHO has produced evidence-based vaccine position papers for use primarily by national public health officials and immunization programme managers. Since April 2006 all new or updated position papers have been based on SAGE recommendations. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach has been adopted by WHO and, since 2008, GRADE tables that rate the quality of evidence have been produced in support of key recommendations. SAGE previously expressed concern that GRADE was not ideally suited to many immunization-specific issues such as the vaccine population level effect and the inclusion of surveillance system data, particularly for vaccine safety. Extensive productive interactions with various advisory groups including the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the European Centres for Disease Control, the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), WHO's Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety and the GRADE working group resulted in key enhancements to accommodate vaccine-relevant evidence. This facilitated integration and acceptability of the GRADE approach in the development of immunization related SAGE and WHO
Evidence-based practice: reflections from five European case studies.
Baeza, Juan I; Fraser, Alec; Boaz, Annette
Background Evidence-based practice (EBP) is now the accepted orthodoxy in clinical practice and developed from evidence-based medicine. EBP is based on a specific type of evidence that is derived from studies based on randomised controlled trials (RCT). This type of evidence is suited to acute medical care and is more problematic for other clinicians such as nurses and therapists, particularly when they are situated within community or primary care settings. Setting Five stroke care services in England (2), Sweden (2) and Poland (1). Aims To reflect on the evidence gained from these case studies to shed light on various aspects of EBP. This paper focuses on three key issues: (1) the importance of context for evidence, (2) the nature of knowledge, and (3) professional hierarchies. Methods Five qualitative case studies into stroke care were carried out in England, Sweden and Poland. One hundred and twenty semi-structured interviews were carried out with a range of healthcare staff who provided specialised and non-specialised stroke care in acute, community and primary care between October 2010 and September 2011. Medical doctors, nurses and different therapists were included in the samples in all five case studies. For this paper, we reflect on some aspects of this work to illuminate the different interprofessional perspectives relating to EBP in stroke care. Results The lack of RCT-based evidence in the community and primary care sectors can lead to the clinicians working in these sectors being perceived as having a lower status. Clinicians use both tacit and encoded knowledge to guide their practice and there existed both intraand interprofessional tensions in these two types of knowledge. The professional hierarchy of stroke teams varies with national context and the role of the non-specialists is less valued in stroke care. PMID:25949726
Effectiveness of national evidence-based medicine competition in Taiwan
Background Competition and education are intimately related and can be combined in many ways. The role of competition in medical education of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has not been investigated. In order to enhance the dissemination and implementation of EBM in Taiwan, EBM competitions have been established among healthcare professionals. This study was to evaluate the impact of competition in EBM learning. Methods The EBM competition used PICO (patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome) queries to examine participants' skills in framing an answerable question, literature search, critical appraisal and clinical application among interdisciplinary teams. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate EBM among participants in the years of 2009 and 2011. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire survey at three months prior to the competition and finished the same questionnaire right after the competition. Results Valid questionnaires were collected from 358 participants, included 162 physicians, 71 nurses, 101 pharmacists, and 24 other allied healthcare professionals. There were significant increases in participants' knowledge of and skills in EBM (p < 0.001). Their barriers to literature searching and forming answerable questions significantly decreased (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there were significant increases in their access to the evidence-based retrieval databases, including the Cochrane Library (p < 0.001), MD Consult (p < 0.001), ProQuest (p < 0.001), UpToDate (p = 0.001), CINAHL (p = 0.001), and MicroMedex (p = 0.024). Conclusions The current study demonstrates a method that successfully enhanced the knowledge of, skills in, and behavior of EBM. The data suggest competition using PICO queries may serve as an effective way to facilitate the learning of EBM. PMID:23651869
Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stapleton, Drue; Hawkins, Andrew
Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and…
Sibling Outcomes from a Randomized Trial of Evidence-Based Treatments with Substance Abusing Juvenile Offenders
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rowland, Melisa D.; Chapman, Jason E.; Henggeler, Scott W.
This study examined the substance use and delinquency outcomes for the nearest age siblings of substance abusing and delinquent adolescents that participated in a randomized clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of integrating evidence-based practices into juvenile drug court. The sample of 70 siblings averaged 14.4 years of age, 50% were…
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology among College Counseling Center Clinicians
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cooper, Stewart E.; Benton, Sherry A.; Benton, Stephen L.; Phillips, Julia C.
This empirically based study sought to discover factors underlying diverse sources of information used to inform therapy practice, perceived salience of sources of evidence for clinical practice, importance of common factors to therapy efficiency, and beliefs about evidence-based practice, particularly in the form of evidence-supported treatments…
Using a Critical Appraisal Assignment to Infuse Evidence-Based Practice into a Therapeutic Modality Course
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Zwart, Mary Beth; Olson, Bernadette
Context: It is the responsibility of athletic training educators, through curriculum and clinical experiences, to engage students towards adopting evidence-based practice (EBP) into their practice. The initial task of implementing EBP into a curriculum or course can seem like a large task for educators and students. As a way to start scaffolding…
Preceptor Understanding, Comfort, and Use Related to Evidence-Based Practice Competencies
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Carr, W. David; Volberding, Jennifer L.; Timson, Ben
Context: The Fifth Edition of the National Athletic Trainers' Association Athletic Training Education Competencies includes the significant addition of competencies covering evidence-based practice (EBP). While the concept of EBP is not new, the terminology in the Competencies may be new to clinical practitioners who did not receive the same…
Concepts, Challenges, Barriers, and Opportunities Related to Evidence-Based Practice in Rehabilitation Counseling
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Chan, Fong; Bezyak, Jill; Ramirez, Maria Romero; Chiu, Chung-Yi; Sung, Connie; Fujikawa, Mayu
Evidence-based practice espouses that all healthcare professionals should provide their clients with the most effective clinical services based on sound research evidence. This philosophy of practice has since permeated to an array of health care and human service disciplines, and the rehabilitation counseling profession is no exception. Although…
The Technology of Evidence-Based Practice: Tools for Navigating the Health Sciences Literature
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Townsend, Whitney
Medical and health sciences libraries have incorporated the elements of evidence-based practice (EBP) into their reference services, instruction, and online resource development for years. While EBP focuses on the use of medical and health sciences literature in the clinical environment (i.e., making decisions about how to treat a particular…
Clinician Resources to Improve Evidence-Based Sexual Healthcare: Does Content and Design Matter?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hosseinzadeh, Hassan; Dadich, Ann; Bourne, Chris; Murray, Carolyn
This study examines how the design and content of printed educational materials (PEMs) influence clinician capacity to deliver evidence-based sexual healthcare. General practitioners in New South Wales, Australia (n = 214), completed a survey about their use and perceptions of PEMs - a clinical aide, sexual health articles, and an educational…
Developing an open platform for evidence-based microwave ablation treatment planning and validation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Deshazer, Garron; Dupuy, Damian E.; Walsh, Edward; Prakash, Punit; Fairchild, Dillon; Glidden, David; Collins, Scott A.; Cook, Madeleine L.; Ryan, Thomas P.; Merck, Derek
The clinical utility of current thermal ablation planning tools is severely limited by treatment variability. We discuss the development of an open platform for evidence-based thermal ablation treatment planning and validation. Improved predictive treatment modeling and consistent outcome analysis are crucial components for useful planning and guidance tools.
An evidence-based systematic review of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration.
Ulbricht, Catherine; Costa, Dawn; Dao, Julie; Isaac, Richard; LeBlanc, Yvonne C; Rhoades, Jenna; Windsor, Regina C
An evidence-based systematic review of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration consolidates the safety and efficacy data available in the scientific literature using a validated, reproducible grading rationale. This article includes written and statistical analysis of clinical trials, plus a compilation of expert opinion, folkloric precedent, history, pharmacology, kinetics/dynamics, interactions, adverse effects, toxicology, and dosing. PMID:23725528
Using Qualitative Research to Develop Culturally Competent Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Silverstein, Louise Bordeaux; Auerbach, Carl F.
Kazdin pointed out that the requirement for evidence-based practice (EBP) has made the long-standing gap between research and practice in clinical psychology even more salient. He offered several strategies for bridging this gap: investigating mechanisms and moderators of therapeutic change, and qualitative research. We agree that qualitative…
The Delphi Method: An Approach for Facilitating Evidence Based Practice in Athletic Training
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sandrey, Michelle A.; Bulger, Sean M.
Objective: The growing importance of evidence based practice in athletic training is necessitating academics and clinicians to be able to make judgments about the quality or lack of the body of research evidence and peer-reviewed standards pertaining to clinical questions. To assist in the judgment process, consensus methods, namely brainstorming,…
Reliability and Validity of the Evidence-Based Practice Confidence (EPIC) Scale
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Salbach, Nancy M.; Jaglal, Susan B.; Williams, Jack I.
Introduction: The reliability, minimal detectable change (MDC), and construct validity of the evidence-based practice confidence (EPIC) scale were evaluated among physical therapists (PTs) in clinical practice. Methods: A longitudinal mail survey was conducted. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were estimated using Cronbach's alpha…
Implementing Evidence-Based Practice: A Review of the Empirical Research Literature
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Gray, Mel; Joy, Elyssa; Plath, Debbie; Webb, Stephen A.
The article reports on the findings of a review of empirical studies examining the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the human services. Eleven studies were located that defined EBP as a research-informed, clinical decision-making process and identified barriers and facilitators to EBP implementation. A thematic analysis of the…
Evidence-based medicine designed to save physicians time, energy, FPs told
OReilly, M
Although not all physicians welcome the current move toward evidence-based medicine, Dr. Warren McIsaac, a member of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario, says it is designed to save them time and energy. He made the comments during a meeting of family physicians in Ontario. PMID:9164410
A Clinician's Quick Guide of Evidence-Based Approaches Number 2: Depression
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Moulds, Michelle L.; Werner-Seidler, Aliza; Dalgleish, Tim
This quick guide presents resources for clinicians on evidence-based approaches for assessing and treating depression. It also briefly describes the mood disorder module of the clinician administered Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, treatment approaches, and new and emerging developments demonstrating the effectiveness of…
Using evidence-based internet interventions to reduce health disparities worldwide.
Muñoz, Ricardo F
Health disparities are a persistent problem worldwide. A major obstacle to reducing health disparities is reliance on "consumable interventions," that is, interventions that, once used, cannot be used again. To reduce health disparities, interventions are required that can be used again and again without losing their therapeutic power, that can reach people even if local health care systems do not provide them with needed health care, and that can be shared globally without taking resources away from the populations where the interventions were developed. This paper presents the argument that automated self-help evidence-based Internet interventions meet the above criteria and can contribute to the reduction of health disparities worldwide. Proof-of-concept studies show that evidence-based Internet interventions can reach hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and could be used in public sector settings to augment existing offerings and provide services not currently available (such as prevention interventions). This paper presents a framework for systematically filling in a matrix composed of columns representing common health problems and rows representing languages. To bring the benefits of evidence-based Internet interventions to the underserved, public sector clinics should establish eHealth resource centers, through which patients could be screened online for common disorders and provided with evidence-based Internet intervention services not currently available at the clinics. These resources should be available in the patients' languages, in formats that do not require literacy, and that can be accessed with mobile devices. Such evidence-based Internet interventions should then be shared with public sector clinics as well as individuals anywhere in the world. Finally, this paper addresses sustainability and describes a continuum of evidence-based Internet interventions to share nationally and across the world. This approach to expanding health service
Integrating evidence-based perfusion into practices: the International Consortium for Evidence-Based Perfusion.
Likosky, Donald S
There is surmounting pressure for clinicians domestically and abroad not only to practice evidence-based perfusion, but also to supplement practice with documentation thereof. In this editorial, I shall describe an international initiative aimed at embracing this dictum from patients, regulatory bodies, and payers. "Research is the only hope that the future will be different than the past"- Daniel Mintz, MD "Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences are usually the slaves of some defunct economist.... It is ideas not vested interests which are dangerous for good or evil."-John Maynard Keynes. PMID:17312899
Integrating Evidence-Based Perfusion Into Practices: The International Consortium for Evidence-Based Perfusion
Likosky, Donald S.
Abstract: There is surmounting pressure for clinicians domestically and abroad not only to practice evidence-based perfusion, but also to supplement practice with documentation thereof. In this editorial, I shall describe an international initiative aimed at embracing this dictum from patients, regulatory bodies, and payers. "Research is the only hope that the future will be different than the past"—Daniel Mintz, MD "Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences are usually the slaves of some defunct economist…. It is ideas not vested interests which are dangerous for good or evil."—John Maynard Keynes PMID:17312899
Evidence-based practice: developing mentors to support students.
Barry, Debbie; Houghton, Trish; Warburton, Tyler
This article, the ninth in a series of 11, provides guidance for new and established mentors and practice teachers on evidence-based practice, the seventh domain of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice (SSLAP). Evidence-based practice is an important aspect of contemporary healthcare and is central to student preparation programmes for nursing, midwifery and specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN). The article describes evidence-based practice, discussing the importance and implementation of an evidence-based approach in the context of role development for mentors and practice teachers in the preparation of nursing, midwifery and SCPHN students. PMID:27533414
Evidence-Based Practice: SLTs under Siege or Opportunity for Growth? The Use and Nature of Research Evidence in the Profession
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
McCurtin, Arlene; Roddam, Hazel
Background: Speech and language therapists are encouraged to be evidence-based practitioners in contemporary clinical practice. This apparently signifies their commitment to "good" practice. An examination of evidence-based practice (EBP) and its adoption in clinical practice is therefore warranted. Aims: This paper aims to explore EBP,…
Evidence Based Surgery: How Difficult is the Implication in Routine Practice?
Maheshwari, Gaurav; Maheshwari, Namrata
Surgery as a discipline has perhaps been slower than other specialties to embrace evidence based principles. Today, surgeons all over Asia are prepared to challenge the dogma of yesterday. Surgical science which rests on a strong foundation of laboratory and clinical research can now be broadened to include the armamentarium of evidence based practice to advance surgical knowledge. The sheer volume of easily accessed information creates a new challenge. This article discusses keeping up with new information and finding the best available answers to specific questions amidst all the other information. PMID:22359733
A Unique Approach to Dissemination of Evidence-Based Protocols: A Successful CAUTI Reduction Pilot.
Dols, Jean Dowling; White, Sondra K; Timmons, Amy L; Bush, Michelle; Tripp, Joanne; Childers, Amanda Kay; Mathers, Nicholas; Tobias, Maria M
A unique approach to disseminate an evidence-based protocol for urinary catheter management was led by a staff-driven catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) reduction team in one hospital. The nurseeducators, faculty from a local university, and the facility's clinical nurse leader mentored the team. As an approachto reduce CAUTIs in the transplant care and intensive care units, the team developed an interdisciplinary CAUTIEducation Fair, which provided a safe, nonthreateningenvironment to unlearn prior behaviors and showcompetency in new evidence-based ones. PMID:26797307
Teaching evidence-based practice in the hospital and the library: two different groups, one course.
Blake, Lindsay; Ballance, Darra
Key roles in teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) are of interest to many hospital and academic librarians. This article describes how three academic librarians, in collaboration with the academic medical center's EBP Nursing Council, developed a seminar consisting of three credit hours of instruction in the basics of evidence-based practice. The seminar consists of three core elements: basic principles of EBP and finding literature, clinical experience and integration of knowledge into the hospital setting, and patient education and participation. Emphasis is placed upon analysis of the literature, institutional models of practice change, and the importance of patient roles in guideline development. PMID:23394424
Evidence-based prognostication in a case of sciatica
Emary, Peter C.
Objective: To present an evidence-based case report on the prognosis of a patient with sciatica. Case: A 43-year-old man presented with right-sided buttock and lower extremity pain and numbness of 10 weeks' duration. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lumbosacral disc herniation. Straight leg raise testing provoked the patient's right sciatic pain, and neurologic examination revealed a diminished right Achilles tendon reflex and mild hypoesthesia along the patient's outer right foot. Outcome: PubMed was searched and two cohort studies relevant to sciatic prognosis were found. These articles were critically appraised for their validity, importance, and applicability in making a prognostic estimate for this particular patient. Based on the appraised research evidence, and the confidence intervals calculated therein, the overall prognosis for sciatic pain recovery with conservative care was estimated as favourable for this patient, though sensory recovery (even with surgical care) was not. Summary: This case report illustrates how to use research literature in estimating the clinical prognosis for an individual patient, and how this can be useful towards clinical decision-making concerning treatment. PMID:25729082
Longitudinal Teaching of Evidence-Based Decision Making
Martin, Beth A.; Kraus, Connie K.; Kim, Su-Young
Objective. To determine whether longitudinal design and delivery of evidence-based decision making (EBDM) content was effective in increasing students' knowledge, skills, and confidence as they progressed through a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Design. Three student cohorts were followed from 2005 to 2009 (n=367), as they learned about EBDM through lectures, actively researching case-based questions, and researching and writing answers to therapy-based questions generated in practice settings. Assessment. Longitudinal evaluations included repeated multiple-choice examinations, confidence surveys, and written answers to practice-based questions (clinical inquiries). Students' knowledge and perception of EBDM principles increased over each of the 3 years. Students' self-efficacy (10-items, p<0.0001) and perceived skills (7-items, p<0.0001) in applying EBDM skills to answer practice-based questions also increased. Graded clinical inquiries verified that students performed satisfactorily in the final 2 years of the program. Conclusions. This study demonstrated a successful integration of EBDM throughout the curriculum. EBDM can effectively be taught by repetition, use of real examples, and provision of feedback. PMID:23275662
Utilization of evidence-based practice by registered occupational therapists.
Cameron, Karen Ann V; Ballantyne, Scott; Kulbitsky, Autumnrose; Margolis-Gal, Michelle; Daugherty, Timothy; Ludwig, Ferol
Although the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) is presently on the rise, there have been limited studies examining its use by occupational therapists within the US. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of EBP among registered occupational therapists in the occupational therapy intervention planning process. This descriptive study surveyed 500 members of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), of which 131 participants responded (26%). The results of the study supported the hypothesis that, within the sample studied, a minority of registered occupational therapists in the US utilize EBP in the intervention planning process. Other results included: (1) As level of academic education increased, the view of the importance of research to occupational therapy decreased. (2) As the years of practice increased, the use of research evidence in making clinical decisions decreased. As the occupational therapy profession moves towards utilization of EBP as a professional standard, it is imperative that the profession examines specific strategies to promote the adoption of such practice by its members, including the promotion of competency in evidence utilization, and the valuing of the established clinical reasoning skills of the practitioner while integrating research evidence into intervention planning to support professional practice. PMID:16398202
Incorporating Mobile Phone Technologies to Expand Evidence-Based Care
Jones, Deborah J.; Anton, Margaret; Gonzalez, Michelle; Honeycutt, Amanda; Khavjou, Olga; Forehand, Rex; Parent, Justin
Ownership of mobile phones is on the rise, a trend in uptake that transcends age, region, race, and ethnicity, as well as income. It is precisely the emerging ubiquity of mobile phones that has sparked enthusiasm regarding their capacity to increase the reach and impact of health care, including mental health care. Community-based clinicians charged with transporting evidence-based interventions beyond research and training clinics are in turn, ideally and uniquely situated to capitalize on mobile phone uptake and functionality to bridge the efficacy to effectiveness gap. As such, this article delineates key considerations to guide these frontline clinicians in mobile phone-enhanced clinical practice, including an overview of industry data on the uptake of and evolution in the functionality of mobile phone platforms, conceptual considerations relevant to the integration of mobile phones into practice, representative empirical illustrations of mobile-phone enhanced assessment and treatment, and practical considerations relevant to ensuring the feasibility and sustainability of such an approach. PMID:26213458
The early history of evidence-based reproductive medicine.
Johnson, Martin H
The origins of evidence-based medicine as understood today are traceable to 1972 and the publication of Archie Cochrane's book Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services. This book attempted to bridge the divide between scientific medicine and clinical judgment that had developed since the mid-19th century. Its genesis was stimulated by Cochrane's experiences as a prisoner-of-war medical officer and of the demands placed after the 1939-1945 war on the UK National Health Service. In the 1960s, reproductive medicine was considered by the UK Medical Research Council to be relatively 'unscientific' in its approach to care delivery and was described as such by Cochrane in the 1970s. Evidence is presented here that reproductive medicine responded, becoming by 1989 a pioneering clinical discipline in the application of evidence to practice. This was achieved largely through the efforts of Iain Chalmers, who was a key player in the development of the systematic review and in the foundation of the Cochrane collection. PMID:23273757
Evidence-based techniques to assess the performance of dental implants.
Kashi, Ajay; Saha, Subrata
The clinical use of evidence-based medicine has been regarded as one of the most significant medical advancements of the last century. As the costs of medical care escalate, clinical decisions have to be made prudently and with a high degree of efficacy. One of the most expensive treatments in dentistry includes the use of dental implants to rehabilitate partial and fully edentulous patients. Due to the high costs of treatments and the ever increasing varieties of dental implants becoming available, the clinician is often faced with a challenging situation to decide the best prostheses for their patients. Furthermore, navigating through the vast database of literature pertaining to dental implants and their related research can be very time consuming and challenging to a dental surgeon before they can make appropriate clinical decisions. Similar to other orthopedic implants, dental implants need to be evaluated for their long-term efficacy in vivo before they are clinically acceptable. In order to help clinician(s) make patient oriented decisions, evidence-based techniques are becoming increasingly popular. This can be a very useful tool in translating research findings into clinical practice, thus narrowing the gap between research and clinical dentistry. This article discusses ways in which evidence-based techniques can help dental surgeons analyze and make informed clinical decisions about dental implant treatments. PMID:21186959
Information literacy for evidence-based practice in perianesthesia nurses: readiness for evidence-based practice.
Ross, Jacqueline
Information literacy, the recognition of information required, and the development of skills for locating, evaluating, and effectively using relevant evidence is needed for evidence-based practice (EBP). The purpose of this study was to examine perianesthesia nurses' perception of searching skills and access to evidence sources. The design was a descriptive, exploratory survey. The sample consisted of ASPAN members (n = 64) and nonmembers (n = 64). The Information Literacy for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice instrument was used. Findings were that ASPAN members read more journal articles, were more proficient with computers, and used Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) more frequently than nonmembers. The three top barriers to use of research were: lack of understanding of organization or structure of electronic databases, lack of skills to critique and/or synthesize the literature, and difficulty in accessing research materials. In conclusion, education is needed for critiquing literature and understanding electronic databases and research articles to promote EBP in perianesthesia areas. PMID:20359640
Online tools for teaching evidence-based veterinary medicine.
Steele, Michael; Crabb, Nicholas P; Moore, Lynda J; Reyher, Kristen K; Baillie, Sarah; Eisler, Mark C
Evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) is of interest and relevance to veterinary practitioners. Consequently, veterinary schools take responsibility for teaching students how to appraise scientific articles and for equipping them with the skills needed to obtain and evaluate the best evidence and to apply this approach to their own cases. As part of our farm animal clinical rotation, we train students in qualitative and quantitative EBVM methods using an e-learning environment, online teaching materials, a wiki (a Web site that allows its users to edit its content via a Web browser), and face-to-face tutorials that support learning. Students working in small groups use a wiki to record details of the history, clinical presentation, diagnostic tests, herd data, and management plans for their chosen farm animal clinical cases. Using a standardized patient, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) format, each group formulates a patient question based on either a proposed intervention or diagnostic procedure for the case and conducts an online scientific literature database search. The students appraise the articles retrieved using EBVM approaches and record the information in the wiki. The summation of this body of work, the group's critically appraised topic (CAT), includes the original PICO, a standardized table of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the intervention or diagnostic procedure, a summary statement in the form of a clinical bottom line, and their reflections upon the CAT. At the end of the rotation, students take part in a structured "CAT Club" where they present and discuss their findings with fellow students and clinicians. PMID:23975071
[Use of PubMed to improve evidence-based medicine in routine urological practice].
Rink, M; Kluth, L A; Shariat, S F; Chun, F K; Fisch, M; Dahm, P
Applying evidence-based medicine in daily clinical practice is the basis of patient-centered medicine and knowledge of accurate literature acquisition skills is necessary for informed clinical decision-making. PubMed is an easy accessible, free bibliographic database comprising over 21 million citations from the medical field, life-science journals and online books. The article summarizes the effective use of PubMed in routine urological clinical practice based on a common case scenario. This article explains the simple use of PubMed to obtain the best search results with the highest evidence. Accurate knowledge about the use of PubMed in routine clinical practice can improve evidence-based medicine and also patient treatment. PMID:23503794
Using evidence-based leadership initiatives to create a healthy nursing work environment.
Nayback-Beebe, Ann M; Forsythe, Tanya; Funari, Tamara; Mayfield, Marie; Thoms, William; Smith, Kimberly K; Bradstreet, Harry; Scott, Pamela
In an effort to create a healthy nursing work environment in a military hospital Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), a facility-level Evidence Based Practice working group composed of nursing.Stakeholders brainstormed and piloted several unit-level evidence-based leadership initiatives to improve the IMCU nursing work environment. These initiatives were guided by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments which encompass: (1) skilled communication, (2) true collaboration, (3) effective decision making, (4) appropriate staffing, (5) meaningful recognition, and (6) authentic leadership. Interim findings suggest implementation of these six evidence-based, relationship-centered principals, when combined with IMCU nurses' clinical expertise, management experience, and personal values and preferences, improved staff morale, decreased staff absenteeism, promoted a healthy nursing work environment, and improved patient care. PMID:23759905
[Big data analysis and evidence-based medicine: controversy or cooperation].
Chen, Xinzu; Hu, Jiankun
The development of evidence-based medicince should be an important milestone from the empirical medicine to the evidence-driving modern medicine. With the outbreak in biomedical data, the rising big data analysis can efficiently solve exploratory questions or decision-making issues in biomedicine and healthcare activities. The current problem in China is that big data analysis is still not well conducted and applied to deal with problems such as clinical decision-making, public health policy, and should not be a debate whether big data analysis can replace evidence-based medicine or not. Therefore, we should clearly understand, no matter whether evidence-based medicine or big data analysis, the most critical infrastructure must be the substantial work in the design, constructure and collection of original database in China. PMID:26797830
Integrating Science and Engineering to Implement Evidence-Based Practices in Health Care Settings.
Wu, Shinyi; Duan, Naihua; Wisdom, Jennifer P; Kravitz, Richard L; Owen, Richard R; Sullivan, J Greer; Wu, Albert W; Di Capua, Paul; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton
Integrating two distinct and complementary paradigms, science and engineering, may produce more effective outcomes for the implementation of evidence-based practices in health care settings. Science formalizes and tests innovations, whereas engineering customizes and optimizes how the innovation is applied tailoring to accommodate local conditions. Together they may accelerate the creation of an evidence-based healthcare system that works effectively in specific health care settings. We give examples of applying engineering methods for better quality, more efficient, and safer implementation of clinical practices, medical devices, and health services systems. A specific example was applying systems engineering design that orchestrated people, process, data, decision-making, and communication through a technology application to implement evidence-based depression care among low-income patients with diabetes. We recommend that leading journals recognize the fundamental role of engineering in implementation research, to improve understanding of design elements that create a better fit between program elements and local context. PMID:25217100
Integrating Science and Engineering to Implement Evidence-Based Practices in Health Care Settings
Wu, Shinyi; Duan, Naihua; Wisdom, Jennifer P.; Kravitz, Richard L.; Owen, Richard R.; Sullivan, Greer; Wu, Albert W.; Di Capua, Paul; Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton
Integrating two distinct and complementary paradigms, science and engineering, may produce more effective outcomes for the implementation of evidence-based practices in health care settings. Science formalizes and tests innovations, whereas engineering customizes and optimizes how the innovation is applied tailoring to accommodate local conditions. Together they may accelerate the creation of an evidence-based healthcare system that works effectively in specific health care settings. We give examples of applying engineering methods for better quality, more efficient, and safer implementation of clinical practices, medical devices, and health services systems. A specific example was applying systems engineering design that orchestrated people, process, data, decision-making, and communication through a technology application to implement evidence-based depression care among low-income patients with diabetes. We recommend that leading journals recognize the fundamental role of engineering in implementation research, to improve understanding of design elements that create a better fit between program elements and local context. PMID:25217100
Evidence-based benefit design: toward a sustainable health care future for employers.
Bunn, William B; Stave, Gregg M; Allen, Harris; Naim, Ahmad B
Health care costs for employers are rising much faster than inflation. The common approach to health benefit design of increasing cost sharing has failed to contain costs. Some employers, however, have been successful at mitigating the cost trend or actually reducing health care costs. These employers have in common a dedication to data analysis, a search for cost drivers, and a willingness to adjust their approach to health benefit design to address these cost drivers. This approach has much in common with the movement in clinical practice toward evidence-based medicine. We propose that employers adopt a similar approach toward health benefits termed evidence-based benefit design, which is based on a health and productivity framework focused on direct and indirect costs. Evidence-based benefit design incorporates the relevant literature and employer-specific data that are integrated and regularly analyzed. PMID:20881622
Integration of evidence-based knowledge management in microsystems: a tele-ICU experience.
Rincon, Teresa A
The Institute of Medicine's proposed 6 aims to improve health care are timely, safe, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care. Unfortunately, it also asserts that improvements in these 6 dimensions cannot be achieved within the existing framework of care systems. These systems are based on unrealistic expectations on human cognition and vigilance, and demonstrate a lack of dependence on computerized systems to support care processes and put information at the point of use. Knowledge-based care and evidence-based clinical decision-making need to replace the unscientific care that is being delivered in health care. Building care practices on evidence within an information technology platform is needed to support sound clinical decision-making and to influence organizational adoption of evidence-based practice in health care. Despite medical advances and evidence-based recommendations for treatment of severe sepsis, it remains a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. It is a complex disease state that has proven difficult to define, diagnose, and treat. Supporting bedside teams with real-time knowledge and expertise to target early identification of severe sepsis and compliance to Surviving Sepsis Campaign, evidence-based practice bundles are important to improving outcomes. Using a centralized, remote team of expert nurses and an open-source software application to advance clinical decision-making and execution of the severe sepsis bundle will be examined. PMID:22948366
Evidence-based medicine, opinion-based medicine, and real-world medicine.
Hampton, John R
The freedom of a doctor to treat an individual patient in the way he believes best has been markedly limited by the concept of evidence-based medicine. Clearly all would wish to practice according to the best available evidence, but it has become accepted that "evidence-based" means that which is derived from randomized, and preferably double-blind, clinical trials. The history of clinical trial development, which can be traced to the use of oranges and lemons for the treatment of scurvy in 1747, has reflected a progressive need to establish whether smaller and smaller effects of treatment are real. It has led to difficult concepts such as "equivalence" and aberrations such as "meta-analysis." An examination of evidence-based practice shows that it has usually been filtered through the opinions of experts and journal editors, and "opinion-based medicine" would be a more appropriate term. In the real world of individual patients with multiple diseases who are receiving a number of different drugs, the practice of evidence-based (or even opinion-based) medicine is extremely difficult. For each patient a judgment has to be made by the clinician of the likely balance of risks and benefits of any therapy. Good practice still requires clinical freedom for doctors. PMID:12388887
Evidence Base Update for Psychosocial Treatments for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Freeman, Jennifer; Garcia, Abbe; Frank, Hannah; Benito, Kristen; Conelea, Christine; Walther, Michael; Edmunds, Julie
Objective Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and impairing condition that often persists into adulthood. Barrett and colleagues (2008), in this journal, provided a detailed review of evidence based psychosocial treatments for youth with OCD. The current review provides an evidence base update of the pediatric OCD psychosocial treatment literature with particular attention to advances in the field as well as to the methodological challenges inherent in evaluating such findings. Method Psychosocial treatment studies conducted since the last review are described and evaluated according to methodological rigor and evidence-based classification using the JCCAP evidence based treatment (EBT) evaluation criteria (Southam-Gerow and Prinstein, this issue). Results Findings from this review clearly converge in support of CBT as an effective and appropriate first line treatment for youth with OCD (either alone or in combination with medication). Although no treatment for pediatric OCD has yet to be designated as "well established", both individual and individual family based treatments have been shown to be "probably efficacious." Conclusions Moderators and predictors of treatment outcome are discussed as are the areas where we have advanced the field and the areas where we have room to grow. The methodological and clinical challenges inherent in a review of the evidence base are reviewed. Finally, future research directions are outlined. PMID:23746138
Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study
Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod
Background: Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Results: Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. Conclusions: The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality. PMID:27175303
Report on Evidence-Based Interventions: Recommended Next Steps.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Nelson, J. Ron; Epstein, Michael H.
Comments on the work of the Task Force on Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology. Discusses the significant advances and errors of commission and omission made by the Task Force in their efforts to develop a framework for the identification of evidence-based interventions (EBIs). This discussion is followed by description of a…
The Evidence-Based Manifesto for School Librarians
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Todd, Ross
School Library Journal's 2007 Leadership Summit, "Where's the Evidence? Understanding the Impact of School Libraries," focused on the topic of evidence-based practice. Evidence-based school librarianship is a systematic approach that engages research-derived evidence, school librarian-observed evidence, and user-reported evidence in the processes…
Evidence-Based Treatment and Stuttering--Historical Perspective
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Prins, David; Ingham, Roger J.
Purpose: To illustrate the way in which both fluency shaping (FS) and stuttering management (SM) treatments for developmental stuttering in adults are evidence based. Method: A brief review of the history and development of FS and SM is provided. It illustrates that both can be justified as evidence-based treatments, each treatment seeking…
Towards an Understanding of Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Digennaro Reed, Florence D.; Reed, Derek D.
The past two decades have seen a rise in the use of the term "evidence-based practice" and a simultaneous increase in the variations in its definition and evaluation. Subsequently, this rise in interest for evidence-based practices has become a double-edged sword for practitioners--that is, while there are a number of interpretations on the…
Teachers' Characteristics and Ratings for Evidence-Based Behavioral Interventions
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stormont, Melissa; Reinke, Wendy; Herman, Keith
The vast majority of schools today are not prepared to support children's social behavior needs. One challenge is that teachers may not be knowledgeable of evidence-based practices that can be utilized with children. This study explored teachers' agreement ratings for evidence-based and nonevidence-based behavior management practices for children…
Evidence-based Nursing Practice: To Infinity and Beyond.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pape, Tess M.
Provides an historical background for evidence-based practice and methods for assimilating research into practice. Information searching, systematic reviews, and other decision-making models are discussed using specific questions for establishing policy guidelines. Stresses the need for evidence-based practice implementing the best-known practices…
Creating Evidence-Based Research in Adapted Physical Activity
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Reid, Greg; Bouffard, Marcel; MacDonald, Catherine
Professional practice guided by the best research evidence is a usually referred to as evidence-based practice. The aim of the present paper is to describe five fundamental beliefs of adapted physical activity practices that should be considered in an 8-step research model to create evidence-based research in adapted physical activity. The five…
Evidence-Based Practice: Integrating Classroom Curriculum and Field Education
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Tuchman, Ellen; Lalane, Monique
This article describes the use of problem-based learning to teach the scope and consequences of evidence-based practices in mental health through an innovative assignment that integrates classroom and field learning. The authors illustrate the planning and implementation of the Evidence-Based Practice: Integrating Classroom Curriculum and Field…
Behavioral Activation Is an Evidence-Based Treatment for Depression
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sturmey, Peter
Recent reviews of evidence-based treatment for depression did not identify behavioral activation as an evidence-based practice. Therefore, this article conducted a systematic review of behavioral activation treatment of depression, which identified three meta-analyses, one recent randomized controlled trial and one recent follow-up of an earlier…
Evidence-based gene predictions in plant genomes
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Automated evidence-based gene building is a rapid and cost-effective way to provide reliable gene annotations on newly sequenced genomes. One of the limitations of evidence-based gene builders, however, is their requirement for gene expression evidence—known proteins, full-length cDNAs, or expressed...
Evidence-Based Practice in Rehabilitation Counseling: Perceptions and Practices
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bezyak, Jill L.; Kubota, Coleen; Rosenthal, David
This study describes certified rehabilitation counselors' attitudes (n=163) about evidence based practice, knowledge and skills related to obtaining and evaluating evidence, use of literature in practice, availability of information, and perceived barriers to evidence-based practice. Responses related to knowledge and skills were mixed with strong…
Personalizing Research: Special Educators' Awareness of Evidence-Based Practice
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Guckert, Mary; Mastropieri, Margo A.; Scruggs, Thomas E.
Although evidence-based practices are considered critical to student success, a research-to-practice gap exists. This qualitative study examined practicing special education teachers' perceptions of their use of evidence-based practices. Special education teachers were interviewed and their classroom practices examined. Major themes emerged and…
Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines and School Nursing
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Adams, Susan; McCarthy, Ann Marie
The use of evidence-based practice (EBP) has become the standard of health care practice. Nurses are expected to use best evidence on a wide range of topics, yet most nurses have limited time, resources, and/or skills to access and evaluate the quality of research and evidence needed to practice evidence-based nursing. EBP guidelines allow nurses…
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
... From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office ] OPEN GOVERNMENT AND EVIDENCE-BASED REGULATION There is a close connection, even an inextricable relationship, between open government and evidence- based regulation. If regulatory choices are based on careful analysis of the evidence, and if opportunities are provided...
[Forensic evidence-based medicine in computer communication networks].
Qiu, Yun-Liang; Peng, Ming-Qi
As an important component of judicial expertise, forensic science is broad and highly specialized. With development of network technology, increasement of information resources, and improvement of people's legal consciousness, forensic scientists encounter many new problems, and have been required to meet higher evidentiary standards in litigation. In view of this, evidence-based concept should be established in forensic medicine. We should find the most suitable method in forensic science field and other related area to solve specific problems in the evidence-based mode. Evidence-based practice can solve the problems in legal medical field, and it will play a great role in promoting the progress and development of forensic science. This article reviews the basic theory of evidence-based medicine and its effect, way, method, and evaluation in the forensic medicine in order to discuss the application value of forensic evidence-based medicine in computer communication networks. PMID:24665620
Encouraging appropriate, evidence-based use of oral nutritional supplements.
Stratton, Rebecca J; Elia, Marinos
With the considerable cost of disease-related malnutrition to individuals and to society (estimated to be >£13×109 for the UK, 2007 prices), there is a need for effective and evidence-based ways of preventing and treating this condition. The wide range of oral nutritional supplements that may be prescribed for the dietary management of malnutrition and other conditions account for only about 1% (about £99×106, 2007 data) of the prescribing budget in England. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses consistently suggest that ready-made, multi-nutrient liquids which may be prescribed can improve energy and nutritional intake, body weight and have a variety of clinical and functional benefits in a number of patient groups. Meta-analyses have repeatedly shown that oral nutritional supplements produce significant reductions in complications (e.g. infections) and mortality, and a recent meta-analysis shows a reduction in hospital admissions (OR 0·56 (95% CI 0·41, 0·77), six randomised controlled trials). Such benefits suggest that the appropriate use of oral nutritional supplements should form an integral part of the management of malnutrition, particularly as there is currently a lack of evidence for alternative oral nutrition strategies (e.g. food fortification and counselling). As with all therapies, compliance to oral nutritional supplements needs to be maximised and the use monitored. To make sure that those at risk of malnutrition are identified and treated appropriately, there is a need to embed national and local policies into routine clinical practice. In doing so, the economic burden of this costly condition can be curtailed. As recently suggested by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, substantial cost savings could be made if screening and treatment of malnourished patients was undertaken. PMID:20696091
Evidence-based treatments for cluster headache
Gooriah, Rubesh; Buture, Alina; Ahmed, Fayyaz
Cluster headache (CH), one of the most painful syndromes known to man, is managed with acute and preventive medications. The brief duration and severity of the attacks command the use of rapid-acting pain relievers. Inhalation of oxygen and subcutaneous sumatriptan are the two most effective acute therapeutic options for sufferers of CH. Several preventive medications are available, the most effective of which is verapamil. However, most of these agents are not backed by strong clinical evidence. In some patients, these options can be ineffective, especially in those who develop chronic CH. Surgical procedures for the chronic refractory form of the disorder should then be contemplated, the most promising of which is hypothalamic deep brain stimulation. We hereby review the pathogenesis of CH and the evidence behind the treatment options for this debilitating condition. PMID:26635477
Evidence Based Practice of Chronic Pain
Garg, Rakesh; Joshi, Saurabh; Mishra, Seema; Bhatnagar, Sushma
The patients with chronic pain are increasingly reporting to the physicians for its management. Chronic pain are associated with head, neck and shoulder pain, spinal pain, pain in the joints and extremities, complex regional pain syndrome and phantom pain. The chronic pain is being managed worldwide. The different specialty of medicine is producing a lot of evidence through the published literature but the same is not being published in the field of chronic pain management. Though some evidence is being reported as to different aspects of pain management from different parts of the world but same is lacking from Indian subcontinent. This is in contrast to much done clinical work in this field as well. We present here the available evidence in relation to chronic pain management. PMID:23439674
Continuing to challenge practice to be evidence based.
Makic, Mary Beth Flynn; Rauen, Carol; Jones, Kimmith; Fisk, Anna C
Practice habits continue in clinical practice despite the availability of research and other forms of evidence that should be used to guide critical care practice interventions. This article is based on a presentation at the 2014 National Teaching Institute of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The article is part of a series of articles that challenge critical care nurses to examine the evidence guiding nursing practice interventions. Four common practice interventions are reviewed: (1) weight-based medication administration, (2) chest tube patency maintenance, (3) daily interruption of sedation, and (4) use of chest physiotherapy in children. For weight-based administration of medication, the patient's actual weight should be measured, rather than using an estimate. The therapeutic effectiveness and dosages of medications used in obese patients must be critically evaluated. Maintaining patency of chest tubes does not require stripping and milking, which probably do more harm than good. Daily interruption of sedation and judicious use of sedatives are appropriate in most patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Traditional chest physiotherapy does not help children with pneumonia, bronchiolitis, or asthma and does not prevent atelectasis after extubation. Critical care nurses are challenged to evaluate their individual practice and to adopt current evidence-based practice interventions into their daily practice. PMID:25834007
Pain in Intellectually Disabled Children: Towards Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy?
Valkenburg, Abraham J; de Leeuw, Tom G; van Dijk, Monique; Tibboel, Dick
This critical opinion article deals with the challenges of finding the most effective pharmacotherapeutic options for the management of pain in intellectually disabled children and provides recommendations for clinical practice and research. Intellectual disability can be caused by a wide variety of underlying diseases and may be associated with congenital anomalies such as cardiac defects, small-bowel obstructions or limb abnormalities as well as with comorbidities such as scoliosis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, spasticity, and epilepsy. These conditions themselves or any necessary surgical interventions are sources of pain. Epilepsy often requires chronic pharmacological treatment with antiepileptic drugs. These antiepileptic drugs can potentially cause drug-drug interactions with analgesic drugs. It is unfortunate that children with intellectual disabilities often cannot communicate pain to caregivers. Although these children are at high risk of experiencing pain, researchers nevertheless often have to exclude them from trials on pain management because of ethical considerations. We therefore make a plea for prescribers, researchers, patient organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and policy makers to study evidence-based, safe and effective pharmacotherapy in these children through properly designed studies. In the meantime, parents and clinicians must resort to validated pain assessment tools such as the revised FLACC scale. PMID:26076801
Nursing faculties' knowledge and attitude on evidence-based practice
Mehrdad, Neda; Joolaee, Soodabeh; Joulaee, Azadeh; Bahrani, Naser
Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is one of the main professional competencies for health care professionals and a priority for medicine and nursing curriculum as well. EBP leads to improve effective and efficient care and patient outcomes. Nurse educators have responsibility to teach the future nurses, and an opportunity to promote patient outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe nurse educators' knowledge and attitude on EBP. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted in nursing faculties of two major universities of medical sciences affiliated to Ministry of Health and Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran. Data were gathered using a three-section questionnaire. Content and face validity was further enhanced by submitting it to nursing research and education experts. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 11 software. Results: According the results, nursing faculties' knowledge of EBP was mainly moderate (47.1%). Significant statistical relationship was found between the level of knowledge with education and teaching experience in different nursing programs. Nurses generally held positive attitudes toward EBP (88.6%) and there was no statistical significant relationship with demographic variables. Conclusion: Nursing educators are in a position to influence nursing research in clinical practice in the future. Therefore, it is critical to achieve implementation of EBP and be a change agent for a paradigm shift toward EBP. PMID:23922597
A web-based library consult service for evidence-based medicine: Technical development
Schwartz, Alan; Millam, Gregory
Background Incorporating evidence based medicine (EBM) into clinical practice requires clinicians to learn to efficiently gain access to clinical evidence and effectively appraise its validity. Even using current electronic systems, selecting literature-based data to solve a single patient-related problem can require more time than practicing physicians or residents can spare. Clinical librarians, as informationists, are uniquely suited to assist physicians in this endeavor. Results To improve support for evidence-based practice, we have developed a web-based EBM library consult service application (LCS). Librarians use the LCS system to provide full text evidence-based literature with critical appraisal in response to a clinical question asked by a remote physician. LCS uses an entirely Free/Open Source Software platform and will be released under a Free Software license. In the first year of the LCS project, the software was successfully developed and a reference implementation put into active use. Two years of evaluation of the clinical, educational, and attitudinal impact on physician-users and librarian staff are underway, and expected to lead to refinement and wide dissemination of the system. Conclusion A web-based EBM library consult model may provide a useful way for informationists to assist clinicians, and is feasible to implement. PMID:16542453
Shoulder dystocia: an Evidence-Based approach
Politi, Salvatore; D'Emidio, Laura; Cignini, Pietro; Giorlandino, Maurizio; Giorlandino, Claudio
Shoulder Dystocia (SD) is the nightmare of obstetricians. Despite its low incidence, SD still represents a huge risk of morbidity for both the mother and fetus. Even though several studies showed the existence of both major and minor risk factors that may complicate a delivery, SD remains an unpreventable and unpredictable obstetric emergency. When it occurs, SD is difficult to manage due to the fact that there are not univocal algorithms for its management. Nevertheless, even if it is appropriately managed, SD is one of the most litigated cause in obstetrics, because it is frequently associated with permanent birth-related injuries and mother complications. All the physicians should be prepared to manage this obstetric emergency by attending periodic training, even if SD is difficult to teach for its rare occurrence and because in clinical practice it is often handled by experienced obstetricians. The purpose of this study is to review the literature concerning the everlasting problems of SD: identification of risk factors for the early detection of delivery at high risk of SD and a systematic management of this terrifying obstetric emergency in order to avoid the subsequent health, medico-legal and economic complications. PMID:22439059
Controlling biofilm with evidence-based dentifrices.
Ciancio, Sebastian G
This review summarizes research that has assessed the effectiveness of various antimicrobial-containing dentifrices in preventing and/or reducing a number of oral health problems facing our patients today. The results of these studies indicate that, when compared with a conventional fluoride dentifrice, the triclosan/copolymer/fluoride dentifrice is the one with the most evidence to support its ability to deliver significant oral health benefits with no adverse effects. The benefits maybe summarized as follows: improved levels ofsupragingival plaque control; improved gingival health; reducedlikelihood of gingivitis progressing to periodontitis; arrest progression of periodontitis; prevention of supragingival calculus; and reduction in oral malodor. With increased interest in the association of oral health with systemic health, this dentifrice is well-positioned to help reduce the likelihood of gingivitis establishing itself and possibly developing into periodontitis (Figure 1). It also has the potential to have beneficial effects on general health because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Based on the results presented in this article, it is clear that the general population can derive significant clinical benefits from the daily use of a triclosan/copolymer/fluoride dentifrice. The dental profession should feel confident to recommend its use to patients to improve oral health and maintain or promote overall health. PMID:21462625
Evidence-based Comprehensive Approach to Forearm Arterial Laceration
Thai, Janice N.; Pacheco, Jose A.; Margolis, David S.; Swartz, Tianyi; Massey, Brandon Z.; Guisto, John A.; Smith, Jordan L.; Sheppard, Joseph E.
Introduction Penetrating injury to the forearm may cause an isolated radial or ulnar artery injury, or a complex injury involving other structures including veins, tendons and nerves. The management of forearm laceration with arterial injury involves both operative and nonoperative strategies. An evolution in management has emerged especially at urban trauma centers, where the multidisciplinary resource of trauma and hand subspecialties may invoke controversy pertaining to the optimal management of such injuries. The objective of this review was to provide an evidence-based, systematic, operative and nonoperative approach to the management of isolated and complex forearm lacerations. A comprehensive search of MedLine, Cochrane Library, Embase and the National Guideline Clearinghouse did not yield evidence-based management guidelines for forearm arterial laceration injury. No professional or societal consensus guidelines or best practice guidelines exist to our knowledge. Discussion The optimal methods for achieving hemostasis are by a combination approach utilizing direct digital pressure, temporary tourniquet pressure, compressive dressings followed by wound closure. While surgical hemostasis may provide an expedited route for control of hemorrhage, this aggressive approach is often not needed (with a few exceptions) to achieve hemostasis for most forearm lacerations. Conservative methods mentioned above will attain the same result. Further, routine emergent or urgent operative exploration of forearm laceration injuries are not warranted and not cost-beneficial. It has been widely accepted with ample evidence in the literature that neither injury to forearm artery, nerve or tendon requires immediate surgical repair. Attention should be directed instead to control of bleeding, and perform a complete physical examination of the hand to document the presence or absence of other associated injuries. Critical ischemia will require expeditious surgical restoration of
Organizational change tactics: the evidence base in the literature.
Packard, Thomas; Shih, Amber
Planned organizational change processes can be used to address the many challenges facing human service organizations (HSOs) and improve organizational outcomes. There is massive literature on organizational change, ranging from popular management books to academic research on specific aspects of change. Regarding HSOs, there is a growing literature, including increasing attention to implementation science and evidence-based practices. However, research which offers generalizable, evidence-based guidelines for implementing change is not common. The purpose of the authors was to assess the evidence base in this organizational change literature to lay the groundwork for more systematic knowledge development in this important field. PMID:25491004
Back to basics: implementing evidence-based practice.
Spruce, Lisa
As health care transitions from volume-based care to value-based care, it is imperative that perioperative nurses implement evidence-based practices that support effective care. Implementing evidence-based practice is a challenge but improves patient outcomes, standardizes care, and decreases patient care costs. Understanding how care interventions work and how to implement them is important to compete in today's health care market. This "Back to Basics" article discusses how to identify, review, and appraise research; make recommendations to implement new practices; evaluate the outcomes of the implementations; and make necessary changes to facilitate evidence-based practice. PMID:25537331
Using continuous quality improvement to implement evidence-based medicine.
Quick, Barbara; Nordstrom, Sue; Johnson, Kevin
The importance of implementing evidence-based medicine is being driven by public reporting of outcome data and linking these measures to reimbursement. Most hospitals are faced with many challenges in gaining sponsorship, staffing, creating tools, and reporting of evidence-based outcome measures. This article describes the use of the SSM Health Care (SSMHC) Continuous Quality Improvement model in implementing evidence-based practices at SSM DePaul Health Center, a community hospital member of SSMHC, including successes, opportunities for improvement, and lessons learned. Specifically, the article includes two different processes for data collection and interventions with staff, process requirements for each, and outcome data associated with each model. PMID:17135874
Rotator cuff tears: An evidence based approach
Sambandam, Senthil Nathan; Khanna, Vishesh; Gul, Arif; Mounasamy, Varatharaj
Lesions of the rotator cuff (RC) are a common occurrence affecting millions of people across all parts of the globe. RC tears are also rampantly prevalent with an age-dependent increase in numbers. Other associated factors include a history of trauma, limb dominance, contralateral shoulder, smoking-status, hypercholesterolemia, posture and occupational dispositions. The challenge lies in early diagnosis since a high proportion of patients are asymptomatic. Pain and decreasing shoulder power and function should alert the heedful practitioner in recognizing promptly the onset or aggravation of existing RC tears. Partial-thickness tears (PTT) can be bursal-sided or articular-sided tears. Over the course of time, PTT enlarge and propagate into full-thickness tears (FTT) and develop distinct chronic pathological changes due to muscle retraction, fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy. These lead to a reduction in tendon elasticity and viability. Eventually, the glenohumeral joint experiences a series of degenerative alterations - cuff tear arthropathy. To avert this, a vigilant clinician must utilize and corroborate clinical skill and radiological findings to identify tear progression. Modern radio-diagnostic means of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging provide excellent visualization of structural details and are crucial in determining further course of action for these patients. Physical therapy along with activity modifications, anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications form the pillars of nonoperative treatment. Elderly patients with minimal functional demands can be managed conservatively and reassessed at frequent intervals. Regular monitoring helps in isolating patients who require surgical interventions. Early surgery should be considered in younger, active and symptomatic, healthy patients. In addition to being cost-effective, this helps in providing a functional shoulder with a stable cuff. An easily reproducible technique of maximal strength and
Insufficient Evidence: The Problems of Evidence-Based Nursing.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rolfe, Gary
Challenges the wisdom of basing nursing practice on the findings of statistical research and offers objections to the philosophy of evidence-based nursing. Proposes rethinking what counts as evidence, suggesting a model based on reflection after the event. (SK)
An evidence-based assessment of prescribed grazing practices
Technology Transfer Automated Retrieval System (TEKTRAN)
Synthesis findings regarding the evidence-based assessment of prescribed grazing practices include: 1) stocking rate, in conjunction with appropriate temporal and spatial animal distribution, is a key management variable that influences numerous conservation outcomes, 2) assumptions regarding livest...
Evidence Based Medicine in Pediatric Practice: Brief Review
Kianifar, Hamid-Reza; Akhondian, Javad; Najafi-Sani, Mehri; Sadeghi, Ramin
Practicing medicine according to the best evidence is gaining popularity in the medical societies. Although this concept, which is usually called Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) has been explained in many resources, it has not been addressed enough in pediatrics. In this review, we briefly explained Evidence Based Medicine approach and its applications in pediatrics in order to help the pediatricians to efficiently integrate EBM into their daily practice. PMID:23056715
A regional evidence-based practice fellowship: collaborating competitors.
Weeks, Susan Mace; Moore, Penny; Allender, Marinda
The authors describe the development of an effort by 21 hospitals and 2 academic institutions in a metropolitan area to strengthen the diffusion of evidence-based practice in their organizations. This has been accomplished by providing collaborative training, mentoring, and support for direct-care RNs through an evidence-based fellowship. The participating direct-care nurses are prepared to take the new knowledge, skills, and abilities they have gained back to the bedside care environment. PMID:21157238
Teaching evidence-based practice: implications for psychology.
Collins, Frank L; Leffingwell, Thad R; Belar, Cynthia D
A movement advocating the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) is increasingly influencing health care and the practice of psychology. Thus, teaching evidence-based practice in psychology (EBPP) is critical to the preparation of future health service psychologists. In this article, the authors address common myths associated with EBP, propose core components involved in teaching EBPP, and describe an example of how such training can be incorporated into a professional psychology education and training curriculum. PMID:17551942
Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders: What Do We Know, and When Do We Know It?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dollaghan, Christine A.
Evidence-based practice (EBP), a framework that originated in clinical medicine, offers a principled means of addressing longstanding questions about clinical practice in communication disorders. However, in several respects EBP represents a radical departure from traditional thinking in speech-language pathology and audiology. In this paper, I…
Evidence-based programs registry: blueprints for Healthy Youth Development.
Mihalic, Sharon F; Elliott, Delbert S
There is a growing demand for evidence-based programs to promote healthy youth development, but this growth has been accompanied by confusion related to varying definitions of evidence-based and mixed messages regarding which programs can claim this designation. The registries that identify evidence-based programs, while intended to help users sift through the findings and claims regarding programs, has oftentimes led to more confusion with their differing standards and program ratings. The advantages of using evidence-based programs and the importance of adopting a high standard of evidence, especially when taking programs to scale,are described. One evidence-based registry is highlighted--Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development hosted at the University of Colorado Boulder. Unlike any previous initiative of its kind, Blueprints established unmatched standards for identifying evidence-based programs and has acted in a way similar to the FDA--evaluating evidence, data and research to determine which programs meet their high standard of proven efficacy. PMID:25193177
Adaptive Practice: Next Generation Evidence-Based Practice in Digital Environments.
Kennedy, Margaret Ann
Evidence-based practice in nursing is considered foundational to safe, competent care. To date, rigid traditional perceptions of what constitutes 'evidence' have constrained the recognition and use of practice-based evidence and the exploitation of novel forms of evidence from data rich environments. Advancements such as the conceptualization of clinical intelligence, the prevalence of increasingly sophisticated digital health information systems, and the advancement of the Big Data phenomenon have converged to generate a new contemporary context. In today's dynamic data-rich environments, clinicians have new sources of valid evidence, and need a new paradigm supporting clinical practice that is adaptive to information generated by diverse electronic sources. This opinion paper presents adaptive practice as the next generation of evidence-based practice in contemporary evidence-rich environments and provides recommendations for the next phase of evolution. PMID:27332234
An Evidence-Based Approach to Differentiating the Cause of Shoulder and Cervical Spine Pain.
Bokshan, Steven L; DePasse, J Mason; Eltorai, Adam E M; Paxton, E Scott; Green, Andrew; Daniels, Alan H
Differentiating the cause of pain and dysfunction due to cervical spine and shoulder pathology presents a difficult clinical challenge in many patients. Furthermore, the anatomic region reported to be painful may mislead the practitioner. Successfully treating these patients requires a careful and complete history and physical examination with appropriate provocative maneuvers. An evidence-based selection of clinical testing also is essential and should be tailored to the most likely underlying cause. When advanced imaging does not reveal a conclusive source of pathology, electromyography and selective injections have been shown to be useful adjuncts, although the sensitivity, specificity, and risk-reward ratio of each test must be considered. This review provides an evidence-based review of common causes of shoulder and neck pain and guidelines for assistance in determining the pain generator in ambiguous cases. PMID:27155111
Comparison of four teaching methods on Evidence-based Practice skills of postgraduate nursing students.
Fernandez, Ritin S; Tran, Duong Thuy; Ramjan, Lucie; Ho, Carey; Gill, Betty
The aim of this study was to compare four teaching methods on the evidence-based practice knowledge and skills of postgraduate nursing students. Students enrolled in the Evidence-based Nursing (EBN) unit in Australia and Hong Kong in 2010 and 2011 received education via either the standard distance teaching method, computer laboratory teaching method, Evidence-based Practice-Digital Video Disc (EBP-DVD) teaching method or the didactic classroom teaching method. Evidence-based Practice (EBP) knowledge and skills were evaluated using student assignments that comprised validated instruments. One-way analysis of covariance was implemented to assess group differences on outcomes after controlling for the effects of age and grade point average (GPA). Data were obtained from 187 students. The crude mean score among students receiving the standard+DVD method of instruction was higher for developing a precise clinical question (8.1±0.8) and identifying the level of evidence (4.6±0.7) compared to those receiving other teaching methods. These differences were statistically significant after controlling for age and grade point average. Significant improvement in cognitive and technical EBP skills can be achieved for postgraduate nursing students by integrating a DVD as part of the EBP teaching resources. The EBP-DVD is an easy teaching method to improve student learning outcomes and ensure that external students receive equivalent and quality learning experiences. PMID:23107585
Strengths and limitations of evidence-based dermatology.
Williams, Hywel C
The need for understanding and reflecting on evidence-based dermatology (EBD) has never been greater given the exponential growth of new external evidence to inform clinical practice. Like any other branch of medicine, dermatologists need to acquire new skills in constructing answerable questions, efficiently searching electronic bibliographic databases, and critically appraising different types of studies. Secondary summaries of evidence in the form of systematic reviews (SR), that is, reviews that are conducted in a systematic, unbiased and explicit manner, reside at the top of the evidence hierarchy, because they are less prone to bias than traditional expert reviews. In addition to providing summaries of the best external evidence, systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are also powerful ways of identifying research gaps and ultimately setting the agenda of future clinical research in dermatology. But like any paradigm, EBD can have its limitations. Wrong application, misuse and overuse of EBD can have serious consequences. For example, mindless pooling together of data from dissimilar studies in a meta-analysis may render it a form of reductionism that does not make any sense. Similarly, even highly protocolised study designs such as SRs and RCTs are still susceptible to some degree of dishonesty and bias. Over-reliance on randomized controlled trials (RCT) may be inappropriate, as RCTs are not a good source for picking up rare but important adverse effects such as lupus syndrome with minocycline. A common criticism leveled against SRs is that these frequently conclude that there is lack of sufficient evidence to inform current clinical practice, but arguably, such a perception is grounded more on the interpretation of the SRs than anything else. The apparent absence of evidence should not paralyze the dermatologist to adopt a state of therapeutic nihilism. Poor primary data and an SR based on evidence that is not up-to-date are also
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: An Evidence-Based Approach to Therapy.
González-Cervera, J; Lucendo, A J
In recent years, several randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have evaluated the efficacy of the various therapeutic options available for treating patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, including dietary modifications, proton pump inhibitors, topical corticosteroids, and endoscopic esophageal dilation. Proton pump inhibitors are currently considered the first-line treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis, achieving histological remission and improvement of symptoms in 50.5% and 60.8% of patients, respectively. The efficacy of topical corticosteroids in eosinophilic esophagitis has been assessed in several trials. Meta-analyses summarizing results indicate that budesonide and fluticasone propionate are significantly superior to placebo, both in decreasing eosinophil densities in the esophageal mucosa and in relieving symptoms. However, owing to differences in drug delivery, viscous budesonide seems to be the best pharmacological therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis. Results for dietary modifications have been mixed depending on the type of diet prescribed. Thus, while exclusive amino acid-based elemental diets are the most effective in inducing histological remission of eosinophilic esophagitis (90.8%), their severe drawbacks limit their implementation in clinical practice. Allergy testing-based food elimination provides a suboptimal remission rate of 45.5%, although this is lower in adults than in children (32.2% vs 47.9%, respectively). In addition, the various available studies are highly heterogeneous. Empirical 6-food elimination diets were shown to be the best diet-based therapy, with a homogeneous remission rate of 72%. Simpler, more convenient empirical schemes have also been evaluated. The aim of this review is to provide an evidence-based overview on the efficacy of the options available for treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis along with a practical management algorithm. PMID:27012011
Evidence-based practice: to be or not to be, this is the question!
Zeitz, Kathryn; McCutcheon, Helen
Evidence-based nursing is the current fashion. It is being touted as the mechanism to achieve best practice in the clinical setting. But while evidence-based practice (EBP) is being presented in the literature, discussed at nursing practice forums, and evidence-based centres of excellence have developed, there seems to be very little impact in the practice that nurses deliver on a daily basis. The case in point is the collection of vital signs. While not historically a nursing skill, over the last 60 years it has become an integral component of practice in the postoperative general surgical setting. The evidence to support these practices is scant. Policies and text purport traditional routine-regulated practice without substantive evidence to support their claims. These policies are being used to control rather than support EBP. In conjunction with the traditional practice of vital sign collection and the culture of the clinical settings, the policies are limiting opportunities for clinicians to make individual decisions about care delivery based on the unique needs of each patient. Rather than focusing on EBP as the solution to the development of best practice, is it not time to change the focus to real strategies that will assist in achieving best practice? These include the creation of rigorous relevant evidence, the valuing of clinical expertise and the changing of the cultures in which nurses develop and practice. PMID:14531848
Policy to implementation: evidence-based practice in community mental health – study protocol
Background Evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are not widely available in community mental health settings. In response to the call for implementation of evidence-based treatments in the United States, states and counties have mandated behavioral health reform through policies and other initiatives. Evaluations of the impact of these policies on implementation are rare. A systems transformation about to occur in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offers an important opportunity to prospectively study implementation in response to a policy mandate. Methods/design Using a prospective sequential mixed-methods design, with observations at multiple points in time, we will investigate the responses of staff from 30 community mental health clinics to a policy from the Department of Behavioral Health encouraging and incentivizing providers to implement evidence-based treatments to treat youth with mental health problems. Study participants will be 30 executive directors, 30 clinical directors, and 240 therapists. Data will be collected prior to the policy implementation, and then at two and four years following policy implementation. Quantitative data will include measures of intervention implementation and potential moderators of implementation (i.e., organizational- and leader-level variables) and will be collected from executive directors, clinical directors, and therapists. Measures include self-reported therapist fidelity to evidence-based treatment techniques as measured by the Therapist Procedures Checklist-Revised, organizational variables as measured by the Organizational Social Context Measurement System and the Implementation Climate Assessment, leader variables as measured by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, attitudes towards EBTs as measured by the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale, and knowledge of EBTs as measured by the Knowledge of Evidence- Based Services Questionnaire. Qualitative data will include semi-structured interviews with a subset of the
Using Evidence-Based Internet Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities Worldwide
Health disparities are a persistent problem worldwide. A major obstacle to reducing health disparities is reliance on "consumable interventions," that is, interventions that, once used, cannot be used again. To reduce health disparities, interventions are required that can be used again and again without losing their therapeutic power, that can reach people even if local health care systems do not provide them with needed health care, and that can be shared globally without taking resources away from the populations where the interventions were developed. This paper presents the argument that automated self-help evidence-based Internet interventions meet the above criteria and can contribute to the reduction of health disparities worldwide. Proof-of-concept studies show that evidence-based Internet interventions can reach hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and could be used in public sector settings to augment existing offerings and provide services not currently available (such as prevention interventions). This paper presents a framework for systematically filling in a matrix composed of columns representing common health problems and rows representing languages. To bring the benefits of evidence-based Internet interventions to the underserved, public sector clinics should establish eHealth resource centers, through which patients could be screened online for common disorders and provided with evidence-based Internet intervention services not currently available at the clinics. These resources should be available in the patients' languages, in formats that do not require literacy, and that can be accessed with mobile devices. Such evidence-based Internet interventions should then be shared with public sector clinics as well as individuals anywhere in the world. Finally, this paper addresses sustainability and describes a continuum of evidence-based Internet interventions to share nationally and across the world. This approach to expanding health
Herbal traditional Chinese medicine and its evidence base in gastrointestinal disorders.
Teschke, Rolf; Wolff, Albrecht; Frenzel, Christian; Eickhoff, Axel; Schulze, Johannes
Herbal traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is used to treat several ailments, but its efficiency is poorly documented and hence debated, as opposed to modern medicine commonly providing effective therapies. The aim of this review article is to present a practical reference guide on the role of herbal TCM in managing gastrointestinal disorders, supported by systematic reviews and evidence based trials. A literature search using herbal TCM combined with terms for gastrointestinal disorders in PubMed and the Cochrane database identified publications of herbal TCM trials. Results were analyzed for study type, inclusion criteria, and outcome parameters. Quality of placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials was poor, mostly neglecting stringent evidence based diagnostic and therapeutic criteria. Accordingly, appropriate Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses were limited and failed to support valid, clinically relevant evidence based efficiency of herbal TCM in gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. In conclusion, the use of herbal TCM to treat various diseases has an interesting philosophical background with a long history, but it received increasing skepticism due to the lack of evidence based efficiency as shown by high quality trials; this has now been summarized for gastrointestinal disorders, with TCM not recommended for most gastrointestinal diseases. Future studies should focus on placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials, herbal product quality and standard criteria for diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and assessment of adverse herb reactions. This approach will provide figures of risk/benefit profiles that hopefully are positive for at least some treatment modalities of herbal TCM. Proponents of modern herbal TCM best face these promising challenges of pragmatic modern medicine by bridging the gap
Herbal traditional Chinese medicine and its evidence base in gastrointestinal disorders
Teschke, Rolf; Wolff, Albrecht; Frenzel, Christian; Eickhoff, Axel; Schulze, Johannes
Herbal traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is used to treat several ailments, but its efficiency is poorly documented and hence debated, as opposed to modern medicine commonly providing effective therapies. The aim of this review article is to present a practical reference guide on the role of herbal TCM in managing gastrointestinal disorders, supported by systematic reviews and evidence based trials. A literature search using herbal TCM combined with terms for gastrointestinal disorders in PubMed and the Cochrane database identified publications of herbal TCM trials. Results were analyzed for study type, inclusion criteria, and outcome parameters. Quality of placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials was poor, mostly neglecting stringent evidence based diagnostic and therapeutic criteria. Accordingly, appropriate Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses were limited and failed to support valid, clinically relevant evidence based efficiency of herbal TCM in gastrointestinal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. In conclusion, the use of herbal TCM to treat various diseases has an interesting philosophical background with a long history, but it received increasing skepticism due to the lack of evidence based efficiency as shown by high quality trials; this has now been summarized for gastrointestinal disorders, with TCM not recommended for most gastrointestinal diseases. Future studies should focus on placebo controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trials, herbal product quality and standard criteria for diagnosis, treatment, outcome, and assessment of adverse herb reactions. This approach will provide figures of risk/benefit profiles that hopefully are positive for at least some treatment modalities of herbal TCM. Proponents of modern herbal TCM best face these promising challenges of pragmatic modern medicine by bridging the
Does evidence-based health care have room for the self?
Thomas, S Joshua
Evidence-based health care (EBHC) has consistently been attacked by opponents for being perniciously reductive. Although these attacks are overwhelmingly framed as critiques of evidence-based medicine, they standardly target the research wing of EBHC upon which evidence-based medicine is dependent, and increasingly extend to adjacent health care disciplines, such as nursing. One of the most persistent forms this line of attack has taken is the allegation that EBHC, with its emphasis on the hierarchy of evidence, grounded in the use of randomized controlled trials, and the clinical guidelines developed on their basis, fails to recognize the patient as the complex self she is, treating her instead as merely a quantifiable, medical-scientific object. By reducing the patient to certain quantifiable dimensions, the patient as self is allegedly 'erased'. In short, the complaint is that an evidence-based approach to health care has no room for the self. Contrary to this persistently held view, it is argued here that EBHC does have room for the self. Review of these critiques suggests they can be categorized into two groups: soft critiques and strong critiques. Soft critiques tend to take a more measured tone grounded in empirical concerns about the dangers of an evidence-based approach to health care, whereas strong critiques tend to make sweeping claims grounded in theoretical commitments to anti-foundationalist philosophical frameworks. While both soft and strong critiques ultimately fail to make the case that EBHC has no room for the self, the empirical concerns of soft critiques nevertheless present a challenge EBHC advocates would do well to take seriously and address. PMID:27237731
Evidence based mental healthcare and service innovation: review of concepts and challenges.
Kouimtsidis, Ch; John-Smith, St; Kemp, P; Ikkos, G
Health provision systems in the developed western nations are currently facing major financial challenges. In order to meet these challenges, a number of new approaches used to assist the provision of health have been introduced, including the practice of health professionals. These approaches utilize specific methods of data capture and summarization such as: evidence based medicine (EBM) and practice guidelines. Evidence is generated from systematic clinical research as well as reported clinical experience and individually case based empirical evidence. All types of research though (quantitative or qualitative) have limitations. Similarly all types of evidence have advantages and disadvantages and can be complimentary to each other. Evidencebased individual decision (EBID) making is the commonest evidence-based medicine as practiced by the individual clinician in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It involves integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. However this sort of evidence-based medicine, focuses excessively on the individual (potentially at the expense of others) in a system with limited budgets. Evidence-based guidelines (EBG) also support the practice of evidence-based medicine but at the organizational or institutional level. The main aim is to identify which interventions, over a range of patients, work best and which is cost-effective in order to guide service development and provision at a strategic level. Doing this effectively is a scientific and statistical skill in itself and the quality of guidelines is based primarily on the quality research evidence. It is important to note that lack of systematic evidence to support an intervention does not automatically mean that an intervention must instantly be abandoned. It is also important that guidelines are understood for what they are, i.e. not rules, or complete statements of knowledge. EBM will
Surgical Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Evidence-based Guideline.
McGrory, Brian J; Weber, Kristy L; Jevsevar, David S; Sevarino, Kaitlyn
Surgical Management of Osteoarthritis of the Knee: Evidence-based Guideline is based on a systematic review of the current scientific and clinical research. The guideline contains 38 recommendations pertaining to the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who are considering surgical treatment. The purpose of this clinical practice guideline is to help improve surgical management of patients with OA of the knee based on current best evidence. In addition to guideline recommendations, the work group highlighted the need for better research on the surgical management of OA of the knee. PMID:27355286
Evidence-based Medicine in Facial Plastic Surgery: Current State and Future Directions.
Dedhia, Raj; Hsieh, Tsung-Yen; Tollefson, Travis T; Ishii, Lisa E
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) encompasses the evaluation and application of best available evidence, incorporation of clinical experience, and emphasis on patient preference and values. Different scales are used to rate levels of evidence. Translating available data for interventions to clinical practice guidelines requires an assessment of both the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendation. Essential to the practice of EBM is evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention through outcome measures. This article discusses principles essential to EBM, resources commonly used in EBM practice, and the strengths and limitations of EBM in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery. PMID:27400841
Evidence-based orthopaedics or 'superstition in the pigeon'.
Evans, R
Pigeon behavioural conditioning methods are similar to the processes that orthopaedic surgeons use to evaluate new surgical procedures. Alternatively, evidence-based orthopaedics is a tool for surgeons to evaluate procedures in a systematic, patient-centred way that is less instinctive than pigeon behaviour. The objective of this article is to describe evidence-based orthopaedics, and then propose changes to surgical culture with the aim of refining the interpretation of the current literature and improving the quality of future research. The proposals are 'institutional' changes rather than calls for increased funding and more randomised controlled trials. PMID:19750292
Psychosocial factors and diabetes mellitus: evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Petrak, Frank; Herpertz, Stephan; Albus, Christian; Hirsch, Axel; Kulzer, Bernhard; Kruse, Johannes
The aim of this project was to develop evidence-based guidelines regarding psychosocial aspects of diabetes mellitus in an effort to help the clinician bridge the gap between research and practice. Recommendations address the following topics: patient education, behavioural medicine, and psychiatric disorders of particular relevance to diabetes: depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and dependence on alcohol and nicotine. The present guidelines were developed through an interdisciplinary process of consensus according to the specifications of evidence-based medicine and are recognized by the German Diabetes Association and the German College for Psychosomatic Medicine as their official guidelines. PMID:18220602
Proposing an Evidence-Based Strategy for Software Requirements Engineering.
Lindoerfer, Doris; Mansmann, Ulrich
This paper discusses an evidence-based approach to software requirements engineering. The approach is called evidence-based, since it uses publications on the specific problem as a surrogate for stakeholder interests, to formulate risks and testing experiences. This complements the idea that agile software development models are more relevant, in which requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing cross-functional teams. The strategy is exemplified and applied to the development of a Software Requirements list used to develop software systems for patient registries. PMID:27577464
Strategies for searching and managing evidence-based practice resources.
Robb, Meigan; Shellenbarger, Teresa
Evidence-based nursing practice requires the use of effective search strategies to locate relevant resources to guide practice change. Continuing education and staff development professionals can assist nurses to conduct effective literature searches. This article provides suggestions for strategies to aid in identifying search terms. Strategies also are recommended for refining searches by using controlled vocabulary, truncation, Boolean operators, PICOT (Population/Patient Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) searching, and search limits. Suggestions for methods of managing resources also are identified. Using these approaches will assist in more effective literature searches and may help evidence-based practice decisions. PMID:25221988
Home-based telehealth to deliver evidence-based psychotherapy in veterans with PTSD.
Strachan, Martha; Gros, Daniel F; Yuen, Erica; Ruggiero, Kenneth J; Foa, Edna B; Acierno, Ron
Although medical service delivery via home-based telehealth technology (HBT) is gaining wider acceptance in managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, few studies have tested HBT applications of psychotherapy. Clinicians, administrators, and researchers question whether delivering psychotherapeutic services to patients in their homes via video-conferencing technology compromises patient safety, potency of treatment, or data security. Despite these concerns, HBT service delivery may increase access to evidence-based psychotherapies for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), who may be less willing or less able to receive weekly treatment at a VA medical center or outpatient clinic due to symptom severity or other similar barriers to care. Indeed, although combat-exposed service members endorse high rates of psychiatric disorders, few appear to initiate mental health services or receive an adequate dose of treatment. Thus, using HBT technologies to administer evidence-based therapies remains uncharted territory in both the clinical and research arenas. This manuscript describes an ongoing four year randomized controlled trial comparing in-person Prolonged Exposure (PE) - a specialized evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD - and PE delivered via HBT, with a particular focus on the selection, application, and strengths/weaknesses of HBT procedures. PMID:22101225
Understanding barriers to evidence-based assessment: Clinician attitudes toward standardized assessment tools
Jensen-Doss, Amanda; Hawley, Kristin M.
In an era of evidence-based practice, why are clinicians not typically engaged in evidence-based assessment? To begin to understand this issue, a national multidisciplinary survey was conducted to examine clinician attitudes toward standardized assessment tools. 1442 child clinicians provided opinions about the psychometric qualities of these tools, their benefit over clinical judgment alone, and their practicality. Doctoral-level clinicians and psychologists expressed more positive ratings in all three domains than master's-level clinicians and non-psychologists respectively, although only the disciplinary differences remained significant when predictors were examined simultaneously. All three attitude scales were predictive of standardized assessment tool use, although practical concerns were the strongest and only independent predictor of use. PMID:21058134
Research utilization and evidence-based practice in occupational therapy: a scoping study.
Thomas, Aliki; Law, Mary
Many articles have been written on the barriers to and facilitators of the use of evidence in practice in nursing and medicine, but to date no extensive review has been published of the literature on evidence-based practice (EBP) supports in occupational therapy. This article presents the results of a scoping review that examined factors that support the integration of research into practice. A review of 69 articles revealed four themes: (1) attitudes toward, perceptions of, confidence in, and use of research and EBP; (2) factors that support the use of research in practice; (3) effects of interventions targeting changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, behaviors, and evidence-based practices; and (4) identification of the processes involved in the acquisition of EBP skills and their application in clinical practice. A process that integrates client-centered practice, structured reflection, case application, and peer consultations within a scholarship of practice model facilitates occupational therapists' evaluation and integration of research evidence. PMID:23791325
Factors influencing evidence-based nursing utilization intention in Korean practice nurses.
Park, Jee-Won; Ahn, Jeong-Ah; Park, Mi-Mi
The purpose of this study was to describe Korean nurses' perceptions, attitudes and utilization intention for evidence-based nursing (EBN), and to explore what factors influence utilization intention. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2012. Registered nurses directly involved in clinical practice were recruited at a medical centre in Korea. A total of 420 nurses completed a self-report questionnaire. Results showed that participants reported moderate scores regarding their perceptions and attitudes towards EBN, and rated themselves as higher than the median for utilization intention. Furthermore, this study revealed that perceptions of and attitudes towards EBN, occupational view and previous EBN education were significant factors affecting utilization intention. Nurse educators and managers should encourage nurses to have better attitudes towards EBN, help them be more satisfied with their work and provide them with appropriate education for EBN to establish evidence-based practice as a part of daily nursing care. PMID:24689706
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines: How evidence-based are they?
Prusova, K.; Churcher, L.; Tyler, A.
Evidence-based medicine aims to translate scientific research into good medical practice. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publishes recommendations and guidelines to guide clinicians in decision-making. In this study, the evidence base underlying the 'Green-top Guidelines' has been analysed in order to establish the quality of research underlying recommendations. During this descriptive study of 1,682 individual recommendations, the authors found that only 9–12% of the guidelines were based on the best quality (Grade A) evidence. The authors believe that this type of analysis serves to provide greater clarity for clinicians and patients using guidelines and recommendations in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology to make collaborative clinical decisions. PMID:24922406
Proof of concept: Developing a peer reviewed, evidence-based, interactive e-learning programme.
Sinclair, Peter; Schoch, Monica; Black, Kirsten; Woods, Matthew
Knowledge and skill acquisition related to vascular access are traditionally individual institutional educational initiatives. Australia currently has no national evidence based education programme for renal nurses. A survey of Australian and New Zealand Nephrology Educators' conducted in 2009, identified the need for more effective and consistent delivery of clinical education for nurses using innovative, web-based approaches supporting the tenets of e-learning methodologies. This paper discusses the development, implementation and proposed evaluation of a peer reviewed Australasian e-learning programme on buttonhole cannulation. It will further highlight the benefits of inter-organisational partnerships and how these partnerships can facilitate positive change in teaching and learning practices. This project has unique characteristics that collectively provide value, distinction and innovation to nurses, patients and renal departments. As the e-learning programme was founded on a platform of evidence-based practice it is therefore easily transferable to an international context. PMID:21561547
[Evidence-based practice for perioperative patient safety: preface and comments].
Kawamata, Mikito
Various kinds of evidence-based checklists and guidelines aimed at patient safety in the perioperative period are becoming popular in the clinical setting. These include WHO guidelines on surgical patient safety, surgical-crisis checklists, checklist for preventing major complications associated with cesarean delivery, NICE guidelines for surgical site infection, guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pulmonary thromboembolism and deep vein thrombosis, appropriateness criteria for stress echocardiography and so on. Better knowledge of evidence of these guidelines and check lists for acute care in the perioperative period helps us provide high-quality care for surgical patients. When we use the guidelines and checklists correctly, we could see what is happening in a patient and what to do next for the patient leading us to correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Thus, evidence-based practice will be established in the near future in the perioperative period. PMID:24724432
Evidence-based neurosurgery. Basic concepts for the appraisal and application of scientific information to patient care (Part II).
Esene, Ignatius N; Baeesa, Saleh S; Ammar, Ahmed
Medical evidence is obtainable from approaches, which might be descriptive, analytic and integrative and ranked into levels of evidence, graded according to quality and summarized into strengths of recommendation. Sources of evidence range from expert opinions through well-randomized control trials to meta-analyses. The conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions related to the care of individual patients defines the concept of evidence-based neurosurgery (EBN). We reviewed reference books of clinical epidemiology, evidence-based practice and other previously related articles addressing principles of evidence-based practice in neurosurgery. Based on existing theories and models and our cumulative years of experience and expertise conducting research and promoting EBN, we have synthesized and presented a holistic overview of the concept of EBN. We have also underscored the importance of clinical research and its relationship to EBN. Useful electronic resources are provided. The concept of critical appraisal is introduced. PMID:27356649
Music therapy with disorders of consciousness: current evidence and emergent evidence-based practice.
Magee, Wendy L; O'Kelly, Julian
Patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC) stemming from acquired brain injury present one of the most challenging clinical populations in neurological rehabilitation. Because of the complex clinical presentation of PDOC patients, treatment teams are confronted with many medicolegal, ethical, philosophical, moral, and religious issues in day-to-day care. Accurate diagnosis is of central concern, relying on creative approaches from skilled clinical professionals using combined behavioral and neurophysiological measures. This paper presents the latest evidence for using music as a diagnostic tool with PDOC, including recent developments in music therapy interventions and measurement. We outline standardized clinical protocols and behavioral measures to produce diagnostic outcomes and examine recent research illustrating a range of benefits of music-based methods at behavioral, cardiorespiratory, and cortical levels using video, electrocardiography, and electroencephalography methods. These latest developments are discussed in the context of evidence-based practice in rehabilitation with clinical populations. PMID:25773642
How Current Are Leading Evidence-Based Medical Textbooks? An Analytic Survey of Four Online Textbooks
Background The consistency of treatment recommendations of evidence-based medical textbooks with more recently published evidence has not been investigated to date. Inconsistencies could affect the quality of medical care. Objective To determine the frequency with which topics in leading online evidence-based medical textbooks report treatment recommendations consistent with more recently published research evidence. Methods Summarized treatment recommendations in 200 clinical topics (ie, disease states) covered in four evidence-based textbooks–UpToDate, Physicians' Information Education Resource (PIER), DynaMed, and Best Practice–were compared with articles identified in an evidence rating service (McMaster Premium Literature Service, PLUS) since the date of the most recent topic updates in each textbook. Textbook treatment recommendations were compared with article results to determine if the articles provided different, new conclusions. From these findings, the proportion of topics which potentially require updating in each textbook was calculated. Results 478 clinical topics were assessed for inclusion to find 200 topics that were addressed by all four textbooks. The proportion of topics for which there was 1 or more recently published articles found in PLUS with evidence that differed from the textbooks' treatment recommendations was 23% (95% CI 17-29%) for DynaMed, 52% (95% CI 45-59%) for UpToDate, 55% (95% CI 48-61%) for PIER, and 60% (95% CI 53-66%) for Best Practice (χ 2 3=65.3, P<.001). The time since the last update for each textbook averaged from 170 days (range 131-209) for DynaMed, to 488 days (range 423-554) for PIER (P<.001 across all textbooks). Conclusions In online evidence-based textbooks, the proportion of topics with potentially outdated treatment recommendations varies substantially. PMID:23220465
Pregnancy after kidney transplantation: an evidence-based approach.
Mezza, E; Oggé, G; Attini, R; Rossetti, M; Soragna, G; Consiglio, V; Burdese, M; Vespertino, E; Tattoli, F; Gai, M; Motta, D; Segoloni, G P; Todros, T; Piccoli, G B
Despite the relatively little space for transplantation in most medical schools, this issue is considered interesting by the students both for its clinical and ethical implications. The students were asked to choose a particular aspect of nephrology for a 2-hour case discussion. They chose the case of a 35-year-old female, kidney transplant recipient now 1.5 years postoperatively, who was coming to seek advice about pregnancy. The aim of the present work is to report an integration between narrative and evidence-based medicine (EBM) approaches. The search strategy was developed within a multidisciplinary working group, two of whose members were also masters in the methodology of systematic revisions. The first step in the discussion was the identification of ethical and methodological problem. In a rapidly developing field, books are unlikely to be able to give updated information. One needs to interact with electronic databases. In this context, no randomized controlled trial on pregnancy is expected. The evidence is likely to be heterogeneous. Prenatal care delivery differs around the world in part related to attitudes toward pregnancy, which depend upon religion and traditions. The second step was the definition of the search strategy. The third step, was selecting and cataloging the evidence. The titles and abstracts retrieved by the search strategy (272 items) were examined to identify full papers to be retrieved. The evidence retrieved was screened for the type of paper (reviews, primary studies, case reports, case series) and for the authors to give an indirect idea of duplicate publication bias. Teaching a complex and ever-changing subject, such as kidney transplantation, is a difficult task. The case of a young woman seeking information on the probability to undergo a successful pregnancy was particularly likely to exemplify the importance of being aware of the biases of the book-based information and on the need to interact with the internet. The search
Evidence-Based Library Management: The Leadership Challenge
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lakos, Amos
This paper is an extension of the author's earlier work on developing management information services and creating a culture of assessment in libraries. The author will focus observations on the use of data in decision-making in libraries, specifically on the role of leadership in making evidence-based decision a reality, and will review new…
Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders: Progress Not Perfection
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kent, Ray D.
Purpose: This commentary is written in response to a companion paper by Nan Bernstein Ratner ("Evidence-Based Practice: An Examination of its Ramifications for the Practice of Speech-Language Pathology"). Method: The comments reflect my experience as Vice President for Research and Technology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association…
Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Practice in College Mental Health
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cooper, Stewart E.
This lead off article to the special volume on evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) in college and university counseling and mental health centers presents an overview of the topic and outlines the structure of this publication. A focus on EBP research and practice generally, and in institutions of higher education specifically, is provided for…
Evidence-Based Practice for Treatment of Eating Disorders
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Resnick, Jaquelyn Liss
The purpose of this chapter is to review the status of evidence-based practice (EBP) for the treatment of students with eating disorders in university and college counseling centers. Several issues affecting the application of the research findings to service delivery for eating disordered students will be addressed. These include discussion of…
Implementing Evidence-Based Programs: Lessons Learned from the Field
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Powers, Jane; Maley, Mary; Purington, Amanda; Schantz, Karen; Dotterweich, Jutta
Evidence-based programs (EBPs) are used in many health promotion efforts to ensure that the intended positive behavioral and health outcomes will be achieved. However, because EBPs are developed and tested in research settings, the contextual elements of real world implementation play an important role in their successful delivery in communities.…
An Examination of the Bases of Evidence-Based Interventions.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wampold, Bruce E.
School psychology has proposed a system to aid in the identification of evidence-based interventions (Kratochwill & Stoiber, this issue; Lewis-Snyder, Stoiber, & Kratochwill, this issue; Shernoff, Kratochwill, & Stoiber, this issue). In this commentary, issues related to the politics of exclusion, design and theory, methods, and multiculturalism…
Overcoming Challenges to Using Evidence-Based Interventions in Schools.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schaeffer, Cindy M.; Bruns, Eric; Weist, Mark; Stephan, Sharon Hoover; Goldstein, Julie; Simpson, Yolanda
The Center for School Mental Health Assistance at the University of Maryland recently completed a review of evidence-based prevention and treatment programs that can be used by school mental health clinicians. Based on the review, a school-based program operating in 22 Baltimore City schools has purchased and trained clinicians in a number of…
An Evidence Based Approach to Sepsis: Educational Program
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Perez, Dolores
Evidence-based guidelines for recognizing and treating sepsis have been available for decades, yet healthcare providers do not adhere to the recommendations. Sepsis can progress rapidly if not recognized early. Literature reports reveal that sepsis is the leading cause of death in non-cardiac intensive care units (ICUs), and it is one of the most…
Evidence-Based Management of Phonological Impairment in Children
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Baker, Elise; McLeod, Sharynne
Evidence-based management of phonological impairment in children is a dynamic process. Speech and language therapists need to evaluate published evidence and use their professional judgement to decide on an intervention plan, evaluate the efficacy of their intervention and re-evaluate decisions. Two case studies are presented to illustrate this…
Evaluation of Evidence-based Nursing Pain Management Practice.
Song, Wenjia; Eaton, Linda H; Gordon, Debra B; Hoyle, Christine; Doorenbos, Ardith Z
It is important to ensure that cancer pain management is based on the best evidence. Nursing evidence-based pain management can be examined through an evaluation of pain documentation. The aim of this study was to modify and test an evaluation tool for nursing cancer pain documentation, and describe the frequency and quality of nursing pain documentation in one oncology unit via the electronic medical system. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study at an oncology unit of an academic medical center in the Pacific Northwest. Medical records were examined for 37 adults hospitalized during April and May 2013. Nursing pain documentations (N = 230) were reviewed using an evaluation tool modified from the Cancer Pain Practice Index to consist of 13 evidence-based pain management indicators, including pain assessment, care plan, pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, monitoring and treatment of analgesic side effects, communication with physicians, and patient education. Individual nursing documentation was assigned a score ranging from 0 (worst possible) to 13 (best possible), to reflect the delivery of evidence-based pain management. The participating nurses documented 90% of the recommended evidence-based pain management indicators. Documentation was suboptimal for pain reassessment, pharmacologic interventions, and bowel regimen. The study results provide implications for enhancing electronic medical record design and highlight a need for future research to understand the reasons for suboptimal nursing documentation of cancer pain management. For the future use of the data evaluation tool, we recommend additional modifications according to study settings. PMID:26256215
Fostering Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing Education.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rambur, Betty
Evidence-based nursing practice is impeded by low numbers of baccalaureate nurses, lack of critical perspectives toward research, the volume of information, and conflicting worldviews. Teaching strategies to address the challenge include fostering the ability to question and initiating teacher/student dialog. (SK)
Marketing evidence-based practice: what a CROC™!
Boyington, Alice R; Ferrall, Sheila M; Sylvanus, Terry
Nurses should be engaged in evidence-based practice (EBP) to ensure that nursing care is efficient and effective. This article describes one cancer center's use of the Marketing Mix framework to educate staff nurses with the CROC™: Clinging Rigidly to Outdated Care campaign. As a result of the campaign, five EBP projects have been initiated in the cancer center. PMID:20880823
Evidence-Based Practices in Outpatient Treatment for Eating Disorders
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schaffner, Angela D.; Buchanan, Linda Paulk
This study examined the current issues relevant to implementing evidence-based practices in the context of outpatient treatment for eating disorders. The study also examined the effectiveness of an outpatient treatment program for eating disorders among a group of 196 patients presenting with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or eating disorder…
Need to Address Evidence-Based Practice in Educational Administration
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kowalski, Theodore
Purpose: This article presents a case for addressing evidence-based practice (EBP) in educational administration. Content is arranged around four objectives: (a) summarizing the status of educational administration as a profession, (b) defining evidence and the model, (c) explaining EBP's social and professional merit, and (d) identifying barriers…
Evidence-Based Practices and Implementation Science in Special Education
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cook, Bryan G.; Odom, Samuel L.
Establishing a process for identifying evidence-based practices (EBPs) in special education has been a significant advance for the field because it has the potential for generating more effective educational programs and producing more positive outcomes for students with disabilities. However, the potential benefit of EBPs is bounded by the…
Evidence-Based Kernels: Fundamental Units of Behavioral Influence
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Embry, Dennis D.; Biglan, Anthony
This paper describes evidence-based kernels, fundamental units of behavioral influence that appear to underlie effective prevention and treatment for children, adults, and families. A kernel is a behavior-influence procedure shown through experimental analysis to affect a specific behavior and that is indivisible in the sense that removing any of…
Evidence-Based Rehabilitation Counseling Practice: A Pedagogical Imperative
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Kosciulek, John F.
This article describes how rehabilitation educators can aid students and practitioners in learning about and engaging in evidence-based rehabilitation counseling practice (EBRCP). Information describing (a) the definition and rationale for EBRCP, (b) controversies surrounding EBRCP, (c) facilitating rehabilitation counselor enthusiasm for EBRCP,…

subset: commoncrawl