Evidence-based Medicine: Defining Evidence

The overall goals of evidence-based medicine (EBM) are to provide physicians and medical
personnel with the best information available in the field so that the clinical practices of these
professionals provide patients with the best possible care. 

Contents:

Introduction

The Philosophy of Evidence-based Medicine

Science and Medicine: Objectivity vs. Subjectivity

Medical Rhetoric as a Social and Communicational Construct

The Social and Rhetorical Implications of Medical Discourse

The Social and Rhetorical Implications of Defining Evidence

Conclusion

References

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The Philosophy of Evidence-based Medicine

According to David Sackett, a prominent voice in the EBM movement, “Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values” (Sackett 1).  The overall goals of evidence-based medicine (EBM) are to provide physicians and medical personnel with the best information available in the field so that the clinical practices of these professionals provide patients with the best possible care.  As advocates of EBM have made clear, this idea is not a new one, but the recent advances in technology, world-wide communication, and the sheer amount of new information constantly being added to the field has spurred the medical community to re-examine their methods for assimilating new medical advances and information into their daily clinical practices. 

The text Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM by David L. Sackett et al. will be the primary source for contextual definitions of the term evidence and the culture of the medical discourse community that affects its usage.