Tamarah 8000
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a foundational framework in healthcare that refers to a problem-solving approach to clinical decision-making that incorporates the best available evidence. EBP integrates three basic components to improve healthcare practice: the best available research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values and preferences. These three components make care delivered by healthcare providers evidence-based, clinically relevant, and patient-focused.
The first component of EBP is the best available research evidence. Research evidence consists of information that has been obtained through scientific research. Examples of research evidence include randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and clinical practice guidelines. These studies provide healthcare providers with scientific evidence on the efficacy and safety of healthcare interventions. Over the years, advances in healthcare technologies have made it easier for healthcare providers to access research studies. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze large datasets to inform evidence-based decision-making is a trend in the EBP (Nilsen et al., 2024). Moreover, systematic methods to implement evidence-based practice are critical to address complex public health issues to improve population health (Leslie & Buntin, 2018). Therefore, the best available research evidence is the science behind evidence-based practice.
The second component of EBP is clinical expertise. Clinical expertise refers to the education, skills, and judgment that healthcare providers acquire through experience and education. Clinical expertise allows healthcare providers to properly interpret research evidence and apply it to individual patients. Experienced healthcare providers are able to assess patients, identify patterns, and make decisions based on patient characteristics. For example, nurses are critical stakeholders to the implementation of evidence-based practice through care coordination, interdisciplinary collaboration and leading quality improvement efforts (Miller, 2018). Their clinical expertise enables them to translate evidence-based knowledge to clinical practice.
The third component of EBP is patient values and preferences. EBP-based healthcare practice promotes patient-centered care. Patient-centered care is the process of planning, delivering, and evaluating healthcare that incorporates the needs, wants, and preferences of individual patients and their families (Shapiro et al. 2026). Integrating patient values in the clinical decision-making process enables shared decision-making and fosters the patient provider relationship. Therefore, patient preferences should be respected during the EBP process to promote patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment plans.
In summary, EBP consists of three key components: research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. All three components are integral to the EBP process. Research evidence provides the scientific basis of evidence-based practice, while clinical expertise provides the art of translating evidence to practice. Patient preferences provide the patient-centered focus of evidence-based care. All three components, when combined together, promote safe, effective, and patient-centered care to improve the quality of care provided by healthcare professionals.
References
Leslie, E. T. A., & Buntin, M. B. (2018). A systematic approach to translating evidence into practice to reduce infant mortality. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 22, 1550–1555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2608-9
Miller, E. (2018). Translating evidence into practice. Pain Management Nursing, 19(5), 445–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2018.08.001
Nilsen, P., Sundemo, D., Heintz, F., Neher, M., Nygren, J., Svedberg, P., & Petersson, L. (2024). Towards evidence-based practice 2.0: leveraging artificial intelligence in healthcare. Frontiers in Health Services. https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2024.1368030
Shapiro, S. D., Logvinov, I. I., & Thomas, R. M. (2026). Redefining Evidence-Based Practice Through Patient Values: A Theoretical Innovation for Person-Centered, Value-Based Care. Journal of Evaluation In Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.70344
