Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) for Ensuring Best Possible Patient Care: Health Professionals’ Perceptions and Current Practices at KFHU
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Abstract
Background:
This session will introduce the emerging technological trends in the field of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). The use of Evidence Based Medicine to more quickly and accurately obtain the second opinion of the expert health professionals, has the potential to improve patients’ care. It has advantages both for the health practitioners and patients. It ensures the best possible patient care and improves diagnosis, clinical judgment, and decision making. Many state of the art databases and applications related to EBM are available. These can be used not only on desktop computers and laptops but many EBM mobile solutions are also available to facilitate the use of these databases on handheld devices.
Objective:
Keeping the importance of EBM in view, this session aims at presenting the results of a survey conducted at the King Fahad Hospital of the University (KFHU), University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
The health professionals at KFHU have access to many EBM resources; however, there is a common perception that the utilization of these resources is very low. In that context, a questionnaire based survey was conducted to evaluate the general perceptions about EBM, and use of EBM databases and mobile applications among health professionals at KFHU. Most of the respondents were senior faculty, specialists and consultants (n=30) followed by medical residents (n= 21), and senior medical students/interns (n= 19).
Results:
Most of the respondents perceived that EBM is the patient’s subjective and objective data; textbook information; previous experiences of healthcare professionals; and research findings. They mentioned that for EBM related information need they were simply relying on the systems, summaries, synopsis, synthesis, studies, and expert opinion. They used Up-to-date database very often. Still, there was moderate usage of Best Practice; COCHRANE; First Consult; and Medline. They sometimes used Skyscape Webview but rarely used other EBM mobile applications, such as the Best Practice Mobile Website; Best Practice App for iPhone, iPad or iPod; DynaMed; and First Consult App. They ranked themselves as adept at identifying and translating clinical issues/problems into a well -formulated clinical question; distinguishing between different types of queries; and conducting online searches. They were also good at relating research findings to their clinical practice and pointing out similarities and differences, and then applying an intervention based on the most applicable evidence, but they were less skillful in evaluating the research literature and application of interventions, and then identifying the areas of improvement. The barriers identified were non-understanding of statistical terms; less time at the work place to search for and read research literature, and implement changes in current practice. The important EBM adoption related factors identified were hospital colleagues/management who embrace EBM; adequate training and time for EBM practices; access to comprehensive EBM resources; and mentoring by EBM experts. Important EBM training areas were understanding what is EBM; identifying clinical issues for implementing EBM; conducting literature searches and critical appraisal of articles; synthesizing evidence; implementing recommendations to practice; and understanding research and statistical terms and methods.
Conclusions:
The results prove that the health professionals had a basic understanding of the EBM and had access to good relevant resources, however, they were in need of better training, mentoring, and practical opportunities for the effective use of EMB for best possible patient health care.
This session will introduce the emerging technological trends in the field of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). The use of Evidence Based Medicine to more quickly and accurately obtain the second opinion of the expert health professionals, has the potential to improve patients’ care. It has advantages both for the health practitioners and patients. It ensures the best possible patient care and improves diagnosis, clinical judgment, and decision making. Many state of the art databases and applications related to EBM are available. These can be used not only on desktop computers and laptops but many EBM mobile solutions are also available to facilitate the use of these databases on handheld devices.
Objective:
Keeping the importance of EBM in view, this session aims at presenting the results of a survey conducted at the King Fahad Hospital of the University (KFHU), University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
The health professionals at KFHU have access to many EBM resources; however, there is a common perception that the utilization of these resources is very low. In that context, a questionnaire based survey was conducted to evaluate the general perceptions about EBM, and use of EBM databases and mobile applications among health professionals at KFHU. Most of the respondents were senior faculty, specialists and consultants (n=30) followed by medical residents (n= 21), and senior medical students/interns (n= 19).
Results:
Most of the respondents perceived that EBM is the patient’s subjective and objective data; textbook information; previous experiences of healthcare professionals; and research findings. They mentioned that for EBM related information need they were simply relying on the systems, summaries, synopsis, synthesis, studies, and expert opinion. They used Up-to-date database very often. Still, there was moderate usage of Best Practice; COCHRANE; First Consult; and Medline. They sometimes used Skyscape Webview but rarely used other EBM mobile applications, such as the Best Practice Mobile Website; Best Practice App for iPhone, iPad or iPod; DynaMed; and First Consult App. They ranked themselves as adept at identifying and translating clinical issues/problems into a well -formulated clinical question; distinguishing between different types of queries; and conducting online searches. They were also good at relating research findings to their clinical practice and pointing out similarities and differences, and then applying an intervention based on the most applicable evidence, but they were less skillful in evaluating the research literature and application of interventions, and then identifying the areas of improvement. The barriers identified were non-understanding of statistical terms; less time at the work place to search for and read research literature, and implement changes in current practice. The important EBM adoption related factors identified were hospital colleagues/management who embrace EBM; adequate training and time for EBM practices; access to comprehensive EBM resources; and mentoring by EBM experts. Important EBM training areas were understanding what is EBM; identifying clinical issues for implementing EBM; conducting literature searches and critical appraisal of articles; synthesizing evidence; implementing recommendations to practice; and understanding research and statistical terms and methods.
Conclusions:
The results prove that the health professionals had a basic understanding of the EBM and had access to good relevant resources, however, they were in need of better training, mentoring, and practical opportunities for the effective use of EMB for best possible patient health care.
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