Evidence Based Healthcare: A Practical Guide for Therapists

The book begins by presenting an overview of evidence-based healthcare and clinical effectiveness, what the terms mean and what their implications are for practitioners, consumers, managers and purchasers of healthcare. The book goes on to provide detailed information to allow readers to develop specific skills which are necessary to achieve evidence-based healthcare. Technical skills include finding and critically appraising research evidence. The reader is also provided with an insight into the role of clinical guidelines in synthesising the best available evidence of effectiveness, leading to clear recommendations for practice which can be adapted locally. The process of clinical audit is described, as both a tool with which to implement the findings of research, and to evaluate practice.

In summary, this book successfully integrates knowledge and skills relating to the key elements of evidence-based healthcare, with a practical and behavioural approach to achieving real changes in practice and improvements for patients.

Contents: Evidence-Based Practice; The clinical effectiveness agendas; Research into practice - what works?; Change management; Finding the evidence; Critical appraisal of the research evidence; Developing, disseminating and implementing clinical guidelines; The evaluation of clinical guidelines; Involving consumers; Key points - putting it all together; Looking to the future

Readership: Primary: Practitioner physios, occupational and speech therapists Secondary: Students in the above and related allied health professions