The Role of Information Technology in Evidence-Based Medicine

Table OF Contents

Introduction

Background and Definition - Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)

Effect of EBM in the healthcare industry

Information Technology and the healthcare Industry

Information Technology on Evidence-based Medicine

Conclusion

References

Introduction

Evidence-based medicine is the now the new paradigm in the healthcare industry. Information Technology plays an important role in the practice of evidence-based medicine to improving healthcare delivery. It allows physicians to access and evaluate clinical evidence as they put their strategies together for patient care.

Background and Definition of Evidence-based medicine

According to straus, Glaszious Hayes and Richardson (2005), the concept and term of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) came about during the 1990’s by a group of Investigations from Mcmasters University. Wells (2007). Initially Evidence-based Medicine was defined as “a systemic approach to analyze published research as a basis of clinical decision making”. Claridge and Fabieu (2005). The term was later defined by Sacket et. al. as the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care or individual patients. The practice of EBM means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available clinical evidence from systematic research. In other word it is an information management and learning strategy that seeks to integrate clinical expertise with the best evidence available to make effective clinical decisions that will ultimately improve patient care Glandon, Smaltz and Slovensky (2008). The integration of clinical expertise, patient values and the best available evidence has made a big difference in modern medicine. Evidence-based medicine promises to make the practice of medicine more fully rational, thereby increasing medicine reliability and improving patient health safety.

Effect of EBM in the healthcare industry

After the introduction...