Evidence-based practice for rehabilitation professionals: concepts and controversies

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2012 Aug;93(8 Suppl):S164-76. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2011.12.014. Epub 2012 Jun 7.

Abstract

This article describes evidence-based practice (EBP) in the health professions and sciences in general and in the rehabilitation disciplines specifically. It discusses the following: what counts as evidence and how that has changed over the last 4 decades, trends in the short history of evidence-based medicine and EBP, the fallacious nature of most criticisms of EBP, (perceived) shortcomings of clinical research and the resulting evidence in rehabilitation, resources available to clinicians who want their practice to be evidence-based, and the barriers these clinicians face in keeping up with the evidence and applying it in practice. Lastly, it describes how the development of a new art and science, knowledge translation, may play a role in truly making EBP feasible in rehabilitation services.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Allied Health Personnel*
  • Clinical Competence
  • Critical Pathways / organization & administration
  • Decision Making
  • Evidence-Based Medicine / methods*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / methods
  • Rehabilitation / methods*
  • Research Design*