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Converting the need for information (about prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, causation, etc) into an answerable question
Search and find information/evidence to answer question
Tracking down the best evidence with which to answer that question
Critically appraise the information/evidence
Critically appraising that evidence for its validity (closeness to the truth), impact (size of the effect), and applicability (usefulness in our clinical practice)
Implement and integrate appraised evidence with own clinical expertise and patient’s preferences
Integrating the critical appraisal with our clinical expertise and with our patient's unique biology, values and circumstances
Evidence-based medicine : how to practice and teach it EBM. - 3rd ed. / Sharon E. Strauss ... [et al.]. - Edinburgh ; New York : Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone, 2005.
This should be an ongoing process in clinical practice.
Also see: http://library.health.nt.gov.au/c.php?g=172510&p=1137931
Answering Clinical Questions - Tutorials provided by the University of Western Australia on:
Duke University (US) EBM Tutorial - An excellent, clearly set-out tutorial that:
University of Sydney Library Tutorial - This tutorial aims to clarify the process of searching for reliable medical evidence in four stages:
