title: Evidence-based medicine: the fourth revolution in American medicine?
abstract: The use of evidence has become a force in American medicine to improve the quality of health care. Funding decisions from payers will demand studies with high-level evidence to support many of the costly interventions in medicine. Plastic surgery is certainly not immune to this national tidal wave to revamp the health care system by embracing evidence-based medicine in our practices. In scientific contributions of plastic surgery research, application of evidence-based principles should enhance the care of all patients by relying on science rather than opinions. In this article, the genesis of evidence-based medicine is discussed to guide plastic surgery in this new revolution in American medicine.
authors.affiliation: Ann Arbor, Mich. From the Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Health System, and the University of Michigan Medical School.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Ashwin N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ram
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D010820:Physicians; D014481:United States