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Gibson D. Lewis Library Libguides

Evidence-Based Practice

This guide introduces the principles of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) and provides resources to help you integrate the best available evidence with clinical expertise and patient values.

What is Evidence-Based Practice?

Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) takes into account the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preference when meeting patient care needs. It consciously places value on all three aspects in the clinical decision making process. In this guide, we will be focusing on Best Available Evidence and using library tools to search for this evidence. First, let's look at each component of EBM individually:

Best Available Evidence is going to be entail the current body of work surrounding a question.  Not all published literature is created equal, however. Evaluation is an important component of recognizing the best available evidence.

Clinical Expertise refers to a clinician's knowledge built over time. This also includes years of training and continuing education. Someone's experience is an important factor to consider when making a clinical decision. 

Patient Preference is the important consideration of a patient's lifestyle and personal values and how this will impact the decisions they make regarding healthcare.

Venn diagram labeled 'Evidence-Based Medicine' across the top. Three overlapping circles represent the core components: 'Best Available Evidence,' 'Clinical Expertise,' and 'Patient Preference.' The overlap of all three illustrates the integration central to evidence-based practice.

Sketchy EBM. (2015, March 29). EBM Explained [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_yiUf3f92s&t=84s