Centre for Evidence-based Health Care
Evidence-based Health Care (EBHC) is a systematic approach to health care problem solving which allows the integration of the best available research evidence with expertise and patient values.
The practice of EBHC involves a process of lifelong, self-directed learning in which caring for patients creates the need for important information about clinical and other health care issues. Research literature is constantly changing and therefore, to provide optimal care, healthcare professionals need to keep abreast of new developments to be able to offer care that works and eliminate the use of that shown to be harmful or ineffective.
The practice of EBHC typically involves five essential steps:
- ASK: first, converting information needs into answerable questions;
- ACCESS: second, finding the best evidence with which to answer the questions;
- APPRAISE: third, critically appraising the evidence for its validity and usefulness;
- APPLY: fourth, applying the results of the appraisal into clinical practice; and
- AUDIT: fifth, evaluating performance.
