Let’s kickstart the newsletter with the current buzzword EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE (EBP). The first edition and the upcoming editions will focus on EBP. I have divided the content so that it’s easy to read and it does not get too lengthy.
So where did it all start?
The evidence-based practice originated from the term Evidence-based Medicine (EBM). EBM was first coined by Gordon Guyatt, the Program Director of Internal Medicine at McMaster University from (1990-1997).
The concept of EBM was later introduced by Dr. David Sackett in 1981. The EBM movement started when a group of clinical epidemiologists at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada), led by David Sackett, published the first of a series of articles in the Canadian Medical Association Journal advising physicians how to appraise the medical literature. He proposed the concept of levels of evidence.
In 1993 researchers from various countries collaborated to write systematic reviews together. These reviews were summaries of the results of all the important studies on a specific medical issue. They named their network the "Cochrane Collaboration" in honor of the British epidemiologist Archie Cochrane.
In 1989, British doctor Ian Chalmers published a book titled "Effective care in pregnancy and childbirth" based on systematic reviews and clinical trial registries. It is considered the first evidence-based textbook on treatment.
The rise of EBM has contributed to improved patient care over the years. An extension of EBM that is more relevant today is Evidence-Based Clinical Practice or Evidence-based practice (EBP), which describes the health care settings and circumstances in which we practice.
In the context of the Physiotherapy profession which is a young profession, the physiotherapists must incorporate the EBP into their curriculum and clinical practice. It is of utmost importance that a practicing physiotherapist understands what EBP is.
The understanding of the concept will lead to a better implementation and evidence guided practice. The next edition of the newsletter will dive deep into the concept and presents the basics of the EBP.
I hope you enjoyed reading the newsletter, till next time.
Ammar Suhail PT