Evidence Based Decision Making

Question 1

Why is Evidence Based Decision Making important?

Answer 1

1. Improves clinical care by ensuring patients receive most appropriate treatment
2. Increases efficiency of healthcare services
3. Reduces variations in practice amongst healthcare professionals / trusts
4. Way of dealing with the uncertainty that is inherent in medical practice, given knowledge is incomplete, yet ever expanding, impossible to master completely, and there is a constant need for innovation and improvement
5. It is central to current healthcare policy

Question 2

How is Evidence Based Decision Making implemented?

Answer 2

1. Evidence based clinical guidelines
2. Via summaries of evidence provided by practitioners
3. Via access of reviews of research evidence
4. Practitioners evaluating research for themselves

Question 3

Give two names of Government Initiatives which evaluate evidence for medical decision making

Answer 3

NICE

CQC