What is Evidence-Based Medicine
Evidence-based medicine is commonly defined as “The conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of evidence based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.” (Sackett DL, Straus S, Richardson S, Rosenberg W, Haynes RB. Evidence-based Medicine: how to practice and teach EBM, ed 2. London: Churchill Livingston, 2000.)
The concept of evidence-based medicine provides the foundation of TEC assessments. TEC's mission is to provide healthcare decision makers with timely, objective and scientifically rigorous assessments that synthesize the available evidence on the diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of disease.
This information also allows patients to participate in the medical decision-making process with their physicians. By sharing in the decision making, patients can express their personal preferences and goals that underline how they would like their treatment handled.
How shared decision making between patients and physicians has evolved in the healthcare system is the subject of the article Finding a Balance.
AHRQ
In 2002, TEC was re-awarded a 5-year contract from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as one of 13 Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC). Learn more.
