Evidence in seconds? Format and design considerations in the provision of reliable information to support evidence-based practice

Abstract

Evidence-based practice is gaining support amongst health professionals. However, the major barrier remains the lack of time to read the literature. There are also problems with the take-up and use of evidence-based information sources such as Cochrane reviews and Effective Health Care bulletins. If such evidence is to be incorporated into local guidelines and used in day-to-day practice, practitioners request that these and other reliable publications be further summarized in short packages and available within seconds. The Health Evidence Bulletins Wales offer a model for this approach. The Bulletins have gone through several developmental stages leading to a novel two-column format. In the first column, brief statements summarize the best available evidence within a topic area. In the second, full details are provided of the supporting publications (and the evidence type, or research design) with links to the full text of documents, where possible from the electronic versions of each Bulletin. Results from a questionnaire study using a random sample and unsolicited feedback suggest that this ‘two-tier’ approach to information provision is valued by users and has implications for information services currently under development to support clinical governance.