Ostomy/wound management
-
Since Sackett et al established the defining principles almost 20 years ago, the concept evidence-based medicine (EBM) has grown and is reflected in the current US healthcare reform debate. To determine the relevancy of EBM elements to wound care, a review of the literature was conducted using several electronic databases. English-language literature was searched for articles published between 1985 and 2009 with regard to EBM principles, study design, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, safety, and clinical practice guidelines to find insightful and balanced studies and commentary. ⋯ Research also suggests that clinical practice guideline implementation studies are needed if their content is to be fully appreciated by practicing clinicians. Thus, while EBM has advanced considerably in the last 20 years, tradition-based care is still evident in wound care. The challenge is to ensure EBM continues to integrate individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from high quality research.