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P.O. Box 1649, Peoria Illinois 61656-1649 | Phone: (309)671-8490 | Fax: (309)671-8495

This guide is designed to assist health care professionals and students become effective and efficient users
of the medical literature. Contact Jo Dorsch, UIC Library of the Health Sciences-Peoria with questions or
comments.

What is Evidence Based Medicine?

Evidence Based Medicine has been defined as:
...an approach to practising medicine in which the clinician is aware of the evidence in
support of clinical practice, and the strength of that evidence.
Evidence Based Medicine Working Group

Evidence-Based Medicine is a process of life-long, problem-based learning. The

process involves:
1. Converting information needs into focused questions.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Efficiently tracking down the best evidence with which to answer the question.
Critically appraising the evidence for validity and clinical usefulness.
Applying the results in clinical practice.
Evaluating performance of the evidence in clinical application.

The practice and teaching of Evidence-Based Medicine has outcome products which
help the health care provider and consumer keep up with the medical literature and
assess the evidence. These products synthesize/filter/evaluate the primary research
literature. Dissemination and incorporation of valid clinical research findings into medical
practice is the ultimate goal.

Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses
Critically Appraised Topics (e.g., ACP Journal Club)
Practice Guidelines
Evaluated Bibliographic Databases (e.g., Cochrane Library)
Consensus Development Reports
Decision Analyses
Patient Education/Decisions Tools

Several groups have been leaders in Evidence Based Medicine . Their initiatives in
promoting the practice of EBM are numerous and are detailed in various sections of this
guide.

Health Information Research Unit-- McMaster University

http://hiru.mcmaster.ca/default.htm
Cochrane Collaboration--dedicated to the creation, review, maintenance and
dissemination of systematic overviews of the effects of health care
http://www.cochrane.org/
Centre for Evidence Based Medicine
http://www.cebm.net/
Agency for Health Care Research and Policy (AHRQ)
http://www.ahrq.gov/
Centre for Health Evidence
http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/lhsp/resources/www.cche.net/usersguides/main.asp

This page is maintained at www.uic.edu/depts/lib/lhsp/resources/ebm.shtml by Jo

Dorsch, UIC Library of the Health Sciences-Peoria. Please send comments to Jo Dorsch
jod@uic.edu.
Last updated: Tuesday, 02-Dec-2003 08:44:37 CST

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