Implementing and sustaining evidence-based clinical practice in Australia: the Evidence Based Clinical Practice Research Initiative

Evidence-based medicine is a process by which clinicians translate clinical information needs into answerable questions, track down answers to those needs as efficiently and effectively as possible using the best evidence available, apply the information to patients and evaluate their performance. Implementing evidence-based medicine is fragmented and variable. The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia has implemented a research program to determine successful strategies for implementation and sustaining of evidence-based clinical practice. In addition this research program will help to answer whether evidence-based practice improves patient outcomes. This paper describes this program and other strategies that improve the application of evidence-based practice in clinical settings.