Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Resources
Jump to a Section
Take a class
The Galter Library teaches a related class called Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Resources. See our Classes schedule for the next available offering. If this class is not on our upcoming schedule, it is still available to you or your group by request.
Introduction
Evidence-Based Medicine is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. (Sackett DL, Straus SE, Richardson WS, et al. Evidence-based medicine: how to practice and teach EBM. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2000.)
You may wish to start with our guide to Finding Evidence-based Answers to Clinical Questions Quickly and Effectively.
TRIP (Turning Research Into Practice) Database
Simultaneously searches evidence-based sources of systematic reviews, practice guidelines, and critically-appraised topics and articles -- including most of those listed above and many more. Also searches MEDLINE’s Clinical Queries, medical image databases, e-textbooks, and patient information leaflets.
Filtered Resources
Filtered resources appraise the quality of studies and often make recommendations for practice.
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
Authors of a systematic review ask a specific clinical question, perform a comprehensive literature search, eliminate the poorly done studies and attempt to make practice recommendations based on the well-done studies. A meta-analysis is a systematic review that combines all the results of all the studies into a single statistical analysis of results.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Consists of detailed, structured topic reviews of hundreds of articles. Teams of experts complete comprehensive literature reviews, evaluate the literature, and present summaries of the findings of the best studies. Published by the International Cochrane Collaboration. Available through Wiley InterScience as part of the Cochrane Library.
The Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE)
Full-text database containing structured abstracts of systematic reviews from a variety of medical journals. DARE is produced by the National Health Services' Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (NHS CRD) at the University of York. DARE records cover topics such as diagnosis, prevention, rehabilitation, screening, and treatment. Available through Ovid.
PEDro: The Physiotherapy Evidence Database
Abstracts database of systematic reviews, RCTs, and clinical guidelines in evidence-based physical therapy practice. Searchable by title, therapeutic modality, and other parameters. PEDro is produced by the Center for Evidence-Based Physiotherapy, at the University of Sydney. Some links to full-text are provided.
Systematic Reviews are also searchable in MEDLINE:
- Ovid MEDLINE: Enter your search query. Click on "More Limits"; select “Systematic Reviews” under “Subject Subsets.”
- PubMed: Click on “Clinical Queries” on the left side of the screen; select “Find Systematic Reviews” and enter your search query.
Critically-Appraised Topics
Authors of critically-appraised topics evaluate and synthesize multiple research studies.
National Guideline Clearinghouse
A comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents produced by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans. Updated weekly.
Note: Guideline evidence varies from expert opinion to high levels of evidence.
Critically-Appraised Individual Articles
Authors of critically-appraised individual articles evaluate and synopsize individual research studies.
The editors of this journal screen the top 100+ clinical journals and identify studies that are methodologically sound and clinically relevant. An enhanced abstract, with conclusions clearly stated, and a commentary are provided for each selected article. Published by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. Available through Ovid.
Quality articles from over 110 clinical journals are selected by research staff, and then rated for clinical relevance and interest by an international group of physicians. Includes a searchable database of the best evidence from the medical literature and an email alerting system. From BMJ Publishing Group and McMaster University's Health Information Research Unit.
“Evidence-Based…” Journal series
(e.g., Evidence-Based Medicine, Evidence-Based Mental Health, Evidence-Based Nursing) Primary research articles within the discipline are selected for quality and clinical relevance. A structured abstract and expert commentary are provided for each study. Search GalterSearch for "evidence based" as a phrase in title and use the filters to limit your retrieval to journals.
Unfiltered Resources
Evidence is not always available via filtered resources. Searching the primary literature may be required. It is possible to use specific search strategies in MEDLINE and other databases to achieve the highest possible level of evidence.
To limit your PubMed search to the best evidence-producing studies: Click on "Clinical Queries" (on the left side of the screen). This specialized search is intended for clinicians and has built-in search "filters." Four study categories--therapy, diagnosis, etiology, prognosis--are provided, and you may indicate whether you wish your search to be more sensitive (i.e., include most relevant articles but probably including some less relevant ones) or more specific (i.e., including mostly relevant articles but probably omit a few).
- Useful MeSH for EBM: Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) recommended for evidence-based medicine research.
To limit your Ovid MEDLINE search to the best evidence-producing studies:
- Clinical Queries (See PubMed) is searchable in Ovid; click on "More Limits".
- Expert Searches for Diagnosis, Etiology, Meta-Analysis, Prognosis, and Therapy, developed by Galter librarians; click on "Saved Searches/Alerts" while in Ovid, run the desired EBM Filter and combine with your search topic.
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials
Bibliography of controlled trials identified by contributors to the Cochrane Collaboration and others, and is part of an international effort to combine hand searching of the international literature with online searching to create an unbiased source of data for systematic reviews. Includes studies published in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other databases, as well as reports published in conference proceedings and other sources not currently listed in MEDLINE or other bibliographic databases. Available through Wiley InterScience as part of the Cochrane Library.
International coverage of the professional and academic literature in psychology, medicine, psychiatry, nursing, sociology, education, pharmacology, physiology, linguistics, and other areas.
To limit your PsycINFO search to the best evidence-producing studies: Click on the ‘Limits’ icon to use ‘Clinical Queries’ or limit to ‘methodology’ types.
Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature
To limit your CINAHL search to the best evidence-producing studies: Click on the ‘Limits’ icon to use ‘Clinical Queries’ or limit to ‘Research’ or other ‘publication’ types (i.e., systematic review).
Background Information/Expert Opinion
Note: Evidence in these resources may vary from expert opinion to high levels of evidence.
A clinical information resource, which offers up-to-date, fully referenced expert answers to patient-care, diagnosis, and treatment questions. Topic reviews are written by recognized authorities who review the topic, synthesize the evidence, summarize key findings, and provide specific recommendations.
(Access restrictions: UpToDate is licensed for on-site use only at Northwestern University and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Remote access is not permitted.)
Physician authors and editors contribute to the eMedicine Clinical Knowledge Base, which contains articles on 7,000 diseases and disorders. The evidence-based content provides the latest practice guidelines in 62 medical specialties. eMedicine's professional content undergoes multiple levels of physician peer review.
Electronic textbook of general medicine; updated continually. Available through Stat!Ref.
EBM Information Sites
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Oxford University)
The Centre promotes evidence-based health care and provide support and resources to anyone who wants to make use of them. Includes the EBM Toolbox, an assortment of materials which are very useful for practitioners of EBM, and EBM Teaching Materials, including PowerPoint presentations.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Toronto)
Includes many resources for practicing and teaching EBM.
From the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield, UK. Includes a comprehensive list of EBM databases, journals, articles, and other information sources.
EBM Tutorials
Introduction to Evidence-Based Medicine
From Duke University Medical Center Library and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Health Sciences Library.
Credits
EBM Pyramid and EBM Page Generator, copyright 2006 Trustees of Dartmouth College and Yale University. All Rights Reserved.Produced by Jan Glover, David Izzo, Karen Odato and Lei Wang.