title: An introduction to evidence-based practice for hand surgeons and therapists.
abstract: Evidence-based practice is a methodical approach to clinical practice where experience, best research evidence, and patient goals and values are integrated to make optimal decisions when making a diagnosis, selecting a diagnostic test, picking an intervention or determining prognosis. There are five steps in this process. Hand surgeons and therapists can use the evidence-based process to attain optimal management of individual patients, manage their overall practice, guide the ongoing professional development, and deal with funding and policy makers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hand and Upper Extremity Service, University of California-Davis School of Medicine, 4860 Y Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. rmszabo@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Joy C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: MacDermid
mesh_terms: D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011643:Publishing; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D012107:Research Design