Evidence-based medicine is a method of making clinical decisions that involves the integration of clinical experience, patient values, and clinical research. It involves the careful, explicit, and informed use of the best available evidence in order to make individual patient treatment decisions.
The goal of evidence-based medicine is to tailor the best evidence to the needs and preferences of the individual patient, based on the clinical judgment of a conscientious and capable clinician.
This approach to healthcare aims to simplify decision-making by using the best available evidence in consultation with the patient to determine the best course of action. Evidence-based medicine relies on systematic studies and clinical data, and uses patient-centred data such as morbidity, mortality, and quality of life to make decisions rather than disease-centred data such as physiological variables and blood test results.
The implementation of evidence-based medicine into everyday practice can be a challenge, due to the gap between traditional patient care and the approach proposed by evidence-based medicine. However, using the best clinical evidence and aligning treatment with patients' values can lead to improved outcomes in healthcare.
