Internal Medicine Portal: Evidence Based Medicine

"Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients"

The concepts underlying EBM (also called EBP at times) is making sure that when decisions are made, they are made on the basis of the most up-to-date, solid, reliable, scientific evidence. These are the decisions about the care of individual patients. 

Key Components:

1. Asking the right question

2. Searching for the evidence

3. Appraising the evidence

4. Applying the evidence (using input from patient, too!)

The 5 A's

1. Assess - Assess the patient or problem to determine the pertinent issues
2. Ask - Ask a clear, answerable question to be pursued
3. Acquire - Acquire the evidence from an appropriate source
4. Appraise - Appraise the evidence to further examine its worth and reliability
5. Apply - Apply the evidence to the particular patient and their unique values

What is Clinical Rounding and how does it improve patient care?

When the clinical librarian joins your team, she will visit patient rooms with the rounding team. The team may have questions or conversations about best practices for patient care, why something has historically been done/why we've changed courses on patient management strategies, or have a need for background information related to a case.

Your clinical librarian can assist the team with either answering questions on the spot (searching on an iPad in real time), or accumulating questions to search, synthesize, and distribute later in the same day by email.

Clinical Librarians can also briefly demonstrate point of care tools and search strategies on rounds, and are happy to meet individually or in small groups at other times to improve these skills.

Read literature on Clinical Librarianship in PubMed by clicking here!

• Mon-Fri, 0900-1500, try our Live Chat Service
• Need help? Ask the Library
• Urgent Patient Care Query: Contact the Library
• Looking for a Book or Article? Contact the Library Technicians
• Literature Search / Reference Question? Contact the Librarians
• Conducting Research? Contact the Research Librarian
• Darnall Medical Library, Circulation Desk: 295-1184

• TRICARE Appointment Line: 855-227-6331
• Walter Reed NMMC Main Phone: 301-295-4611
• TRICARE Health Services (includes phone numbers)

Researching a Medical Condition?
Click the button below!

• MHS Medical Library (MML)
• USUHS Learning Resource Center
• Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center Library