Health care trends, Part I. The promise and perils of evidence-based medicine ... panel discussion

Numerous studies have demonstrated that there are wide variations in the way physicians manage similar patients. This suggests that an evidence-based approach could lead to better outcomes with less cost. But practicing evidence-based medicine requires new skills, such as using computerized databases and applying the rules of evidence to primary and integrative studies in the medical literature. The progress of evidence-based medicine will depend in large measure on how quickly these new skills can be developed and integrated into the practice environment. Here's how six experts see the promise and the perils of evidence-based medicine, now and in the new millennium. Part 2 of the panel discussion will explore the new provider team, which includes nurses and, more recently, pharmacists, who are collaborating with physicians to provide disease management and drugs therapy management services.