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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT EVIDENCE AND OUTCOME
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Haven't
neurosurgeons always acted based on the best evidence?
We thought so. However, in the past 20 years there has been
a new focus on evidence quality. It is now recognized that
many of the "studies" upon which we based treatment in the
past were flawed because of the biases of the patients and
surgeons, both of whom desired a good result so much that
they might inadvertently overlook problems in treatment or
diagnosis. The techniques of performing clinical studies have
improved and are much better understood. This allows a new
understanding of what constitutes "best evidence" and therefore
a reinterpretation of past information. In some circumstances
this has lead to abandoning useless surgical procedures. In
others, it has validated procedures that many non-surgeons
doubted.
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Does
"evidence-based medicine" mean I'm a "guinea pig"?
No. Evidence-based medicine is practiced using the best available
existing evidence. The patient does not have to participate
in a research project in order to obtain the benefits of evidence-based
practice. However, because the evidence base is limited, surgeons
who practice evidence-based medicine are often working to
increase the quality and quantity of available evidence by
carrying out clinical research. You may be offered the chance
to help out by participating in such a project. If so, your
participation is entirely voluntary and a decision to participate
or not will have no positive or negative influence on the
care you receive.
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