Evidence based? Caveat emptor!
Medical practices, clinical practice guidelines, clinical performance measures and measurements, and a variety of health care-related administrative decisions, such as insurance coverage decisions, are claiming to be "evidence based" with increasing frequency. In this paper we examine the "evidence based" label; discuss how evidence ought to have been assembled, evaluated, and synthesized; and when evidence is sufficient for the "evidence-based" moniker to rightfully apply. We also highlight several considerations other than the strength of evidence that are relevant to several common types of health care-related administrative decisions and that influence the extent to which the resulting decisions are truly evidence based.
Steinberg
Earl P
EP
Resolution Health Inc., San Jose, California, USA. esteinberg@resolutionhealth.com
Luce
Bryan R
BR
D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006296:Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D040541:Marketing; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration