Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is the framework for your clinical decision-making process. It is the integration of
Therapy - What is the treatment for a disease?
Diagnosis - power of a test to differentiate between those with and without a disease?
Prognosis - a patient’s likely course over time due to factors other than interventions?
Etiology/Harm - effects of potentially harmful agents on the patient?
Type of Question | Suggested Best Type of Study |
Therapy | RCT > prospective cohort |
Diagnosis | Prospective, blind comparison to a gold standard |
Etiology/Harm | RCT > cohort > case control > case series |
Prognosis | cohort study > case control > case series |
Prevention | RCT > cohort study > case control > case series |
Clinical Exam | prospective, blind comparison to gold standard |
Cost | economic analysis |
- Review the Situation (Assess)
- Define the clinical problem as a question (Ask)
- Select resources, design a strategy, and search for the
answer (Acquire)
- Summarize the evidence yield (Appraise)
- Apply the evidence (Apply)