Impact of an evidence-based care program in a hospital in Brazil

Article type
Authors
Ramos Rocha-Filho C1, Pereira Nunes Pinto A2, Sebastião de Assis Reis F1, Rocha A3, Mesquita Ciconelli R1
1Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
2Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Iberoamerican Cochrane Centre - Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
3Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Cochrane Brazil, Centro de Estudos de Saúde Baseada em Evidências e Avaliação de Tecnologias em Saúde, São Paulo, Brazil
Abstract
"Background: Hospital Evidence-Based Care Programs (EBCP) synthesize and disseminate evidence, addressing the needs of an organization and informing patient care.
Objective: To provide a brief overview of the activities and impact of an EBCP on professionals’ decision-making in a large hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil.
Methods: Retrospective descriptive analysis of a hospital EBCP's database (covering the period 2020-2023), involving data from the studies conducted and an online feedback survey.
Results: Since inception, the EBCP performed 95 scientific technical reports, including 55 rapid systematic reviews (RSR) and 40 literature reviews (LR). We identified 21 review topics, with the 3 most common being inpatients (n=20), oncology (n=11), and surgical procedure (n=9). The 3 most common technologies assessed were medical devices (n=28), drugs (n=27), and scale/questionnaire (n=16). The average number of deliveries was 7 reports per quarter. Studies were mainly used to update policy or procedure (n=59), to support scientific research (n=10), support clinical program development (n=8), provide clinical guidance (n=7), or as a communication tool (n=5). Among the requestors who responded to the feedback survey (75/95), 99% reported a high level of satisfaction with the opinion presented, and 100% indicated that they likely would request a review in the future and would indicate the EBCP to a coworker. Among the RSR responders (51/55), 94% agreed or strongly agreed that the EBCP work informed their project or final decision, and 32% reported that the result presented changed their perspective about the technology assessed.
Conclusion: Employing evidence-based methodology, our program provided timely and pertinent evidence for supporting local decision-making. Health professionals who utilized the EBPC expressed high satisfaction with the process and reported a positive shift in their decision-making.
Relevance: The implementation of an EBPC can facilitate the incorporation of the most reliable evidence, aiding decision-making for both management professionals and frontline health practitioners, ensuring a focus on high-quality, patient-centered care and improved outcomes"