An evidence-based care program in a local healthcare setting in Brazil: Experience and impact

TL;DR

An evidence-based care program in a Brazilian hospital improved decision-making through systematic reviews and high user satisfaction.

Contribution

Demonstrates the successful implementation and impact of an Evidence-Based Care Program in a local healthcare setting.

Findings

95 reviews were conducted over 40 months, with 99% of users reporting positive impacts on decision-making.

Rapid reviews were critical for policy updates and clinical guidance, with high satisfaction rates from users.

Medical devices, drugs, and scale assessments were the most common topics reviewed.

Abstract

•Evidence-Based Care Program improves decision-making in a large Brazilian hospital.•95 reviews conducted, including 55 rapid and 40 scoping reviews in 40 months.•High satisfaction: 99 % of requestors reported a positive impact on decision-making.•Most frequent topics: medical devices, drugs, and scale assessments.•Rapid reviews were critical for updating policies and guiding clinical decisions.

Evidence-Based Care Program improves decision-making in a large Brazilian hospital.

95 reviews conducted, including 55 rapid and 40 scoping reviews in 40 months.

High satisfaction: 99 % of requestors reported a positive impact on decision-making.

Most frequent topics: medical devices, drugs, and scale assessments.

Rapid reviews were critical for updating policies and guiding clinical decisions.

To provide an overview of the activities and impact of an Evidence-Based Care Program (EBCP) on professionals’ decision-making in a large hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil.

Retrospective descriptive analysis of a hospital EBCP's database (covering a 40-month period), involving data from the studies conducted and an online feedback survey.

Since its inception, the EBCP performed 95 scientific technical reports, including 55 Rapid Systematic Reviews (RSR) and 40 Literature Reviews (LR). The authors 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). Studies were mainly used to update policy or procedure (n = 59), 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 (76/95), 97 % agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the review delivered, 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.

Employing evidence-based methodology, the program provided timely and pertinent evidence for local decision-making. Health professionals who utilized the EBPC expressed high satisfaction with the process and reported a positive shift in their decision-making.

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