What is evidence-based practice?

• A. Following tradition and physician preference.
• B. Integrating best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to make care decisions.
• C. Relying on experience alone.
• D. Choosing the cheapest treatment.

Answer: (B)

Evidence-based practice means combining the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to inform care decisions. It isn’t just about what tradition or a clinician has done before, or about experience alone; it requires looking at high-quality evidence for the options, applying what you’ve learned from past clinical practice, and considering what matters most to the patient—such as their goals, risks, and preferences. In practice, you review robust studies, weigh how similar cases have responded, and have a shared discussion with the patient to choose a plan that is effective and aligned with their values. The other approaches fall short because they rely on habit, individual experience without current evidence, or solely on cost, none of which fully reflect evidence-based decision-making.