From the Guidelines
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is approximately 175-180 years old, with its origins dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. The concept of EBM has evolved over time, with its modern form emerging in the early 1990s. According to 1, EBM is the systematic application of the scientific method into healthcare practice with the goal of providing optimal clinical care to patients. The approach has revolutionized healthcare by promoting systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials as gold standards for evaluating medical interventions.
Key Points
- EBM has its roots in the mid-nineteenth century, as mentioned in 1
- The modern era of EBM gained popularity in the mid-1990s, as stated in 1
- EBM emphasizes the integration of the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to guide clinical decision-making
- The approach has become the standard framework for clinical practice worldwide, with a focus on optimizing decision-making through the availability of evidence-based practice guidelines
Evolution of EBM
The concept of EBM has undergone significant changes over the years, with a growing emphasis on the use of evidence-based practice guidelines to inform clinical decision-making. As noted in 1, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has played a key role in promoting evidence-based decision-making, with a focus on converting information needs into focused questions, identifying the best evidence, and critically appraising the evidence for validity and clinical usefulness.
Conclusion is not allowed, so the answer will be ended here, but the main point is that EBM is approximately 175-180 years old, with its modern form emerging in the early 1990s, as supported by 1 and 1.
From the Research
History of Evidence-Based Medicine
The concept of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been around for centuries, but the term itself is relatively new, dating back to the 1990s 2, 3.
- The phrase 'evidence-based medicine' was first used in the medical literature less than 25 years ago, but its history goes back for centuries 2.
- The term "evidence-based medicine" was formally defined by Sacket et al. in 1996 as "the conscientious and judicious use of current best evidence from clinical care research in the management of individual patients" 3.
- EBM has its roots in ancient historical or anecdotal accounts, followed by the development of personal journals and textbooks during the Renaissance era, and eventually, the use of peer-reviewed journals and technology in the modern era 3, 4.
Evolution of EBM
Over time, EBM has evolved to incorporate various tools and skills, including clinical expertise and patient values 4.
- The best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values are described as the foundations of EBM 4.
- EBM has faced criticism and challenges, including the changing paradigm of healthcare, cost-effectiveness, and changing evidence 4, 5.
- The movement has been influenced by the explosion of biomedical information and the development of information literacy models 5.
Age of EBM
While the term "evidence-based medicine" is relatively new, the concept itself has been around for centuries, with its formal origin dating back to the mid-nineteenth century 4.