Evidence-based practice

It may come as something of a surprise to many of our patients that the advice we give and that they receive from us as practitioners is not based on the best available evidence - or indeed for that matter on any evidence at all. It may be even more of a revelation that there is a body of opinion that decries even the notion of evidence based practice. Evidence based practice is the accessing, appraisal and application of appropriate best evidence applied with professional expertise and experience, having due consideration for patient preference and modified in light of local contextual factors, by healthcare practitioners to the management of patient, population and organisational problems presented in their professional practice.This chapter discusses the concept of evidence-based practice in greater detail.