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Evidence-based practice for mere mortals

The role of informatics and health services research

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Abstract

The poor translation of evidence into practice is a well-known problem. Hopes are high that information technology can help make evidence-based practice feasible for mere mortal physicians. In this paper, we draw upon the methods and perspectives of clinical practice, medical informatics, and health services research to analyze the gap between evidence and action, and to argue that computing systems for bridging this gap should incorporate both informatics and health services research expertise. We discuss 2 illustrative systems—trial banks and a web-based system to develop and disseminate evidence-based guidelines (ALCHEMIST)—and conclude with a research and training agenda.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine and the Graduate Group in Biological and Medical Informatics, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif

    Ida Sim MD, PhD

  2. the Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research, Department of Medicine and Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif

    Gillian D. Sanders PhD & Kathryn M. McDonald MM

Authors
  1. Ida Sim MD, PhD
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  2. Gillian D. Sanders PhD
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  3. Kathryn M. McDonald MM
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ida Sim MD, PhD.

Additional information

This work was supported in part by contract 297-90-0013 to the UCSF-Stanford Evidence-based Practice Center from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Md (IS, GDS, KMM), and LM06780-01 from the National Library of Medicine (IS).

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Sim, I., Sanders, G.D. & McDonald, K.M. Evidence-based practice for mere mortals. J GEN INTERN MED 17, 302–308 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2002.10518.x

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