HMC Evidence Collaborative
Using evidence from research to inform health care policy and practice
Evidence-based health care is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients or the delivery of health services.Current best evidence is up-to-date information from relevant, valid research about the effects of different forms of health care, the potential for harm from exposure to particular agents, the accuracy of diagnostic tests, and the predictive power of prognostic factors.
(Cochrane, AL., 1972)
Evidence syntheses
Systematic reviews and other high quality evidence syntheses are central to developing evidence-based (or ‘informed’) clinical policy and to delivering evidence-based health care. Where uncertainties about the effectiveness or safety of clinical practice exist, it is important to review current knowledge using appropriate methods of evidence synthesis.
The steps in evidence-based health care
- Formulate an answerable question
- Track down the best evidence
- Critically appraise the evidence for validity, clinical relevance and applicability
- Individualize, based on clinical expertise and patient concerns
- Evaluate your own performance
