Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
In routine care, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are challenged by limited time resources for evidence-based practice. Easy access to current research evidence is crucial, to make informed health decisions at the point of care. To facilitate the use of evidence in practice, research findings should be prepared according to the clinical relevance for each health profession.
Objectives:
To make physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses and midwives aware of evidence in their field and to present it in a user-friendly manner.
Methods:
We initiated the following projects:
1) To collate Cochrane Reviews (CRs) relevant to health professions. With the help of two experts from each profession we have generated a database, which includes summaries of all CRs relevant to healthcare professions. We produce monthly reports for each profession and publish them on our website (http://www.cochrane.de/de/gesundheitsfachberufe).
2) To collate CRs about specific conditions relevant to health professions. Cochrane Review Maps (CRM) are a new format for evidence maps, which include quality-appraised CRs about a topic relevant to HCPs. CRMs may serve as a basis for further development of research and care in healthcare professions.
3) To disseminate knowledge relevant to health professions. We continuously inform members of the different health professions about our activities (lectures, workshops, articles in specialist journals, posts on social media).
Results:
Since 2015 we developed seven CRMs, two in the field of nursing, four in physiotherapy and one in occupational therapy. Three of them have been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Since July 2016 all new CRs have been assessed for their relevance to the health professions. To date we have published five monthly reports for each profession on our website.
Conclusions:
The projects we initiated are facilitating knowledge translation of Cochrane evidence into practice by increasing access to and use of the best available evidence.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
All persons working in health care provision should have free access to the best available evidence in order to make evidence-based healthcare decisions for patients. The Cochrane Germany Foundation is pursuing this objective with its work for HCPs. Many experts support our work and contribute their experience.
In routine care, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are challenged by limited time resources for evidence-based practice. Easy access to current research evidence is crucial, to make informed health decisions at the point of care. To facilitate the use of evidence in practice, research findings should be prepared according to the clinical relevance for each health profession.
Objectives:
To make physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, nurses and midwives aware of evidence in their field and to present it in a user-friendly manner.
Methods:
We initiated the following projects:
1) To collate Cochrane Reviews (CRs) relevant to health professions. With the help of two experts from each profession we have generated a database, which includes summaries of all CRs relevant to healthcare professions. We produce monthly reports for each profession and publish them on our website (http://www.cochrane.de/de/gesundheitsfachberufe).
2) To collate CRs about specific conditions relevant to health professions. Cochrane Review Maps (CRM) are a new format for evidence maps, which include quality-appraised CRs about a topic relevant to HCPs. CRMs may serve as a basis for further development of research and care in healthcare professions.
3) To disseminate knowledge relevant to health professions. We continuously inform members of the different health professions about our activities (lectures, workshops, articles in specialist journals, posts on social media).
Results:
Since 2015 we developed seven CRMs, two in the field of nursing, four in physiotherapy and one in occupational therapy. Three of them have been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Since July 2016 all new CRs have been assessed for their relevance to the health professions. To date we have published five monthly reports for each profession on our website.
Conclusions:
The projects we initiated are facilitating knowledge translation of Cochrane evidence into practice by increasing access to and use of the best available evidence.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
All persons working in health care provision should have free access to the best available evidence in order to make evidence-based healthcare decisions for patients. The Cochrane Germany Foundation is pursuing this objective with its work for HCPs. Many experts support our work and contribute their experience.