In this final 30DoS for 2016, Director of Professional Policy at WCPT - Tracy Bury - writes about the seminal work of David Sackett and how it influenced her critical thinking. The publication of Evidence based medicine: what it is and what it isn’t (Sackett et al) in 1996 was the culmination of a growing discourse on the challenges of integrating research evidence with clinical expertise for the benefit of patients. The authors also referenced EBM’s philosophical origins in mid-19th century Paris whilst describing it as a young discipline. The definition for EBM that was set out is now universally recognised. The importance of clinical experience, competency and judgement were … [Read more...] about Tracy Bury – EBM: What it is and what it isn’t – 30DoS #30
Six useless treatments
The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) recently pronounced that six interventions commonly used by physiotherapists are useless and were no longer being supported (link). As part of the Choosing Wisely initiative, the APA has decided that requesting imaging for certain instances of non-specific low back pain, cervical pain, and acute ankle trauma; plus the routine use incentive spirometry after upper abdominal and cardiac surgery, electrotherapy in cases of lower back pain, and manual therapy for patients with frozen shoulder, are all now discouraged. There are some interesting aspects to this decision that warrant some more thought. Firstly, there is the … [Read more...] about Six useless treatments