Evidence-based medicine (EBM) consists of the integration of individual clinical expertise with external clinical evidence from systematic research.Clinical expertise is familiar to many clinicians. It refers to 'the proficiency and judgement that is obtained from clinical practice, together with the thoughtful and compassionate use of patients' predicaments, rights and preferences in making treatment recommendations to patients and their families' (Sackett DL). What EBM seeks to do is to blend clinical expertise with clinical evidence from systematic research.There is a large and expanding body of research in medicine. The difficulty for the clinician is how to find research that will make a difference to practice. For some this is all too hard, and the option of 'asking an expert' seems an easier route to take. Increasingly EBM offers an alternative approach, where a clinician can locate valid research that is relevant to the patient they have in their clinic, and can assist with management decisions. This becomes crucial when experts disagree (and you don't have to go very far to find that!), or when the particular situation of your patients needs to be considered.
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