Evidence-Based Clinical Decision: Key to Improved Patients Care

The practice of medicine had metamorphosed from magical and magical-religious acts of the prehistoric era to empirical-rational decisions of the Egyptian civilization, to modern day evidence-based medicine. Evidence-based medicine requires that clinical decisions and health policies on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment and disease be based on principle and methods scientifically proven to be effective and beneficial. It aims at optimizing clinical and cost effectiveness of an intervention, patients and care provider satisfaction and feasibility. Evidence for clinical decision may be derived form systematic reviews of randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials, or meta-analysis. Despite effort by World Health Organization, the Cochrane Collaboration and Evidence-based journals to publish systematic reviews and other evidence of best practice, access to these materials remain limited to mostly developed countries. There is need to adopt measures to further facilitate dissemination of current information of effective health to care providers and policymakers in resource-poor countries. This review is aimed at re-enforcing the need for applying best-evidence into clinical practice NQJHM Vol. 13 (3-4) 2003: pp. 43-4