Les médecins cherchent à résoudre les problèmes de santé posés par des individus. Une solution individualisée tient compte de la singularité du patient concerné. L'individualisation des pratiques est-elle possible et souhaitable? Le cas échéant, selon quelles modalités peut-elle ou doit-elle être réalisée'? La première partie de la thèse vise à montrer: que la question se pose depuis les premières théories de la décision médicale (Hippocrate) ; qu'elle s'est posée de façon aiguë au début du XIX" siècle, avec l'apparition des études statistiques; et que l'observation médicale et son évolution concrétisent la façon dont la documentation des cas et leur individualisation interagissent. La deuxième partie reprend la question dans le contexte contemporain, à travers la naissance de l'"evidence-based medicine", ses critiques et son évolution. La troisième partie montre que l'articulation du raisonnement par règles et du raisonnement par cas modélise de façon opérationnelle une démarche raisonnée d'individualisation des décisions médicales. Ce modèle simple permet de rendre compte du mouvement d'aller-retour entre deux conceptions de l'individualisation et d'en proposer une version équilibrée, mise à l'épreuve dans les domaines de l'évaluation des pratiques et de la littérature médicale. / Physicians try to solve health problems of individual patients. Customized solutions take into account the uniqueness of the patient. Is the individualization of medical decisions possible and desirable'? If so, how can I tor should it be performed? The first part of the thesis shows: that the question arises since the first conceptualizations of medical reasoning (Hippocrates); that is was much debated in the early nineteenth century, when statistical studies were first performed to guide medical decisions; and that the medical observation and its evolution materialize how case documentation and management interact. The second part addresses the issue in the current context, from the birth of evidence-based medicine, its cri tics and its evolution. The third part shows that linking rule-based and case-based reasoning adequately pictures the process of customizing medical decisions. This simple model can account for the movement between two kinds of customization and leads to a balanced approach, tested in the field of practice evaluation and medical literature.

Submitted by Giselle Francisco de Vasconcellos (gfvasconcellos@hotmail.com) on 2015-03-27T14:05:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Giselle Vasconcellos.pdf: 818582 bytes, checksum: 515159ca176c2a4cc30f6d61b8b67ad4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by GILSON ROCHA MIRANDA (gilson.miranda@fgv.br) on 2015-04-09T16:46:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Giselle Vasconcellos.pdf: 818582 bytes, checksum: 515159ca176c2a4cc30f6d61b8b67ad4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2015-04-14T17:52:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Giselle Vasconcellos.pdf: 818582 bytes, checksum: 515159ca176c2a4cc30f6d61b8b67ad4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-14T17:52:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Giselle Vasconcellos.pdf: 818582 bytes, checksum: 515159ca176c2a4cc30f6d61b8b67ad4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-07 / This study was developed in a private hospital, in Rio de Janeiro, in order to demonstrate the value of a digital medical library, as a scientific support tool for health care practices adopted by physicians, that resulted in technical glosses and loss of revenue for the institution. Through integrative review methodology, clinical literature related to technical glosses, occurred in the period from january to september 2014, were collected and analyzed from the perspective of the conceptual model presented by Cochrane (LEFEBVRE et al., 2011), which identifies the level of scientific evidence and establishes the degree of recommendation for clinical practice. During the content analysis, considering the techniques proposed by Bardin (1977), the scientific evidences, that gives value to the health care practices, were identified, as proposed by the conceptual model. In addition, the cost of the glosses were included in the analysis of the results, reinforcing the trend of the study to validate the conceptual model that recommends evidence-based medical practice to generate more effective results and better cost / benefit in health. Based on the findings, the theoretical and practical implications are discussed, as well as suggestions for future studies on the subject. / Este estudo foi desenvolvido em um hospital privado, no Rio de Janeiro, com o intuito de demonstrar o valor de uma biblioteca médica digital, como ferramenta de suporte para fundamentação científica das condutas assistenciais adotadas pela equipe médica, que resultaram em glosas técnicas e perda de faturamento para a instituição. Para isso, por meio do método revisão integrativa, foi coletada a literatura clínica referente às glosas, ocorridas durante o período de janeiro a setembro de 2014, e analisada sob a perspectiva do modelo conceitual apresentado pela Cochrane (LEFEBVRE et al., 2011) que identifica o nível da evidência científica e estabelece o seu grau de recomendação para a prática clínica. Durante a análise de conteúdo, considerando as técnicas propostas por Bardin (1977), foram identificadas as evidências científicas que conferem valor à prática assistencial, conforme proposto pelo modelo conceitual. Além disso, o valor dos itens glosados foi incluído na análise dos resultados, reforçando a tendência do estudo para a validação do modelo conceitual que recomenda a prática clínica baseada em evidências científicas para geração de resultados mais efetivos e de melhor custo/benefício na saúde. Com base nos achados, são discutidas as implicações teóricas e práticas, assim como sugestões para futuros estudos sobre o tema.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-01-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Contexto: consideramos as revisões sistemáticas como melhor nível de evidência para a tomada de decisão nos cuidados com a saúde, cujo rigor metodológico oferece uma diversidade de implicações para a prática clínica e para a pesquisa científica. Objetivo: avaliar a proporção de revisões sistemáticas completas da Colaboração Cochrane que permitem a aplicação prática dos resultados e implicações para a pesquisa científica. Tipo de Estudo: estudo transversal de revisões sistemáticas da Cochrane Library issue 4, 2004. Método: Análise da amostra aleatória de revisões sistemáticas dos 50 grupos colaborativos especializados da Cochrane. A extração de dados foi baseada nas conclusões dos autores, interpretações de metanálises e no contexto de cada revisão sistemática. As implicações para a prática foram classificadas em três categorias: A) “evidências que apóiam a utilização da intervenção testada”; B) ”evidências que contra-indicam a utilização da intervenção”; C) “ausência de evidências para recomendar ou desestimular a intervenção”. As implicações para a pesquisa científica foram categorizadas em: 1) “recomendação para mais pesquisas” e 2) “sem necessidade para recomendar novos estudos”. Número de estudos incluídos e metanálises foram também quantificados. Resultados: 1016 revisões sistemáticas foram analisadas, o que correspondeu a 46,60% da totalidade disponível na Cochrane Library, issue 4, 2004. As proporções e intervalo de confiança (IC) de 95% das implicações para a prática clínica foram: A) 44,39 (95% IC, 42,16 – 46,62) %; B) 6,79 (95% IC, 5,66 – 7,92)%; C) 48,81 (95% IC, 46,57 – 51,07)%. O total de revisões sistemáticas que recomendam a realização de mais estudos foi de 95,96% (95% IC, 95,08 – 97,04). O número de estudos incluídos foi de 13.830 (mediana 8 e moda 2) e o total de metanálises incluídas nas revisões sistemáticas avaliadas, de 6.461 (mediana 2 e moda 0). Conclusão: A grande maioria das revisões sistemáticas não traz orientações específicas com relação ao benefício ou malefício de uma intervenção, comparativamente ao grupo controle para determinada situação clínica. Há uma proporção significativa de revisões sistemáticas que sugerem recomendações de novos estudos para responderem à questão clínica da revisão. Há poucos estudos primários que respondem ao critério de inclusão da revisão sistemática, sugerindo uma qualidade metodológica pobre. Há pouca quantidade de metanálise por revisão sistemática para os desfechos clínicos de interesse. / Context: we consider systematic reviews the best level of evidence for the decision making in the health care, which methodological severity offers a diversity of implications to clinical practice and to scientific research. Objective: to assess the proportion of the complete systematic reviews of Cochrane Colaboration that allow practice application of results and implication to scientific research. Design and Setting: Cross-sectional study of systematic reviews of Cochrane Library issue 4, 2004. Main Outcomes Measures: 1016 systematic reviews published throughout 50 Cochrane Collaborative Review Groups were analysed randomly. Data extraction was based on the authors’ conclusions, meta-analysis interpretations and on the context of each systematic review. The implications to practice had been classified in three categories: A) evidences that support the use of the tested intervention. B) evidences that contraindicate the intervention use. C) absence of evidences to recommend or discourage the intervention. The implications to scientific research had been categorized in: 1) recommendation to further research and 2) no necessity to recommend new studies. Number of included studies and meta-analysis were also quantified. Results: 1016 systematic reviews were analyzed, which corresponded to 46,60% of the available totality in the Cochrane Library, issue 4, 2004. The proportions and confidence interval (CI) of 95% of the implications to clinical practice were: A) 44,39 (95% IC, 42,16 – 46,62) %; B) 6,79 (95% IC, 5,66 – 7,92)%; C) 48,81 (95% IC, 46,57 – 51,07)%. The totality of systematic reviews that recommend the accomplishment of further studies was 13.830 (medium 8 and mode 2) and the totality of included meta-analysis of the evaluated systematic reviews, 6.641 (medium 2 and mode 0). Conclusion: the great majority of systematic reviews do not bring specific orientations with relations to the benefit or curse of an intervention, comparatively to control group for certain clinical situation. There are a significant proportion of systematic reviews that suggest recommendations of new studies to answer to the clinical question of the review. There are few primary studies that answer the inclusion criterion of the systematic review and suggest a poor methodological quality. There is a little amount of meta-analysis by systematic review for the clinical outcomes of interest. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

INTRODUÇÃO: Lesões vegetantes malignas (LVM) resultam da infiltração cutânea por células cancerígenas e, ao se exteriorizarem, adquirem aspecto vegetante. Odor fétido, exsudato profuso, sangramento, dor e infecção são sintomas comuns, que se somam ao sofrimento físico e psíquico destes pacientes. O cuidado de LVM insere-se na assistência aos pacientes em cuidados paliativos. OBJETIVOS: Caracterizar a produção científica sobre LVM e identificar evidências para o tratamento tópico do odor fétido de LVM. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de revisão sistemática. A questão clínica de pesquisa, construída utilizando-se a estratégia PICO, foi “Quais são os tratamentos tópicos/curativos utilizados para o controle dos sintomas odor, exsudato, sangramento, dor e/ou infecção das lesões vegetantes malignas?” A busca bibliográfica ocorreu em 09/2006 e utilizou 14 bases de dados: Banco de Teses – Capes, Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações – USP, Proquest, Current Controlled Trials, BDENF, CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Ovid, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs e EBM Reviews. Não houve restrição quanto ao desenho de estudo e idioma. Os dados foram extraídos pelo pesquisador A, checados pelo B e decisões ocorreram em consenso. Pela análise dos resumos, foram incluídos estudos sobre LVM e que abordaram no mínimo 1 dos 5 sintomas investigados. Os estudos sobre odor foram analisados na íntegra e classificados quanto à qualidade do estudo, nível de evidência e grau de recomendação. RESULTADOS: Obteve-se 11.111 estudos, dos quais 325 (2.93%) referiam-se ao controle de algum dos sintomas das LVM por meio de intervenções tópicas: 12,37% relacionavam-se ao odor, 16,77% ao exsudato, 17,82% ao sangramento, 31,03% à dor e 22,01% à infecção de LVM; outros 202 estudos foram excluídos por não tratarem dos sintomas em análise. Entre os estudos (n=34) que analisaram o controle do odor, 5 foram ensaios clínicos (14,71%), 20 revisões narrativas (58,82%), 5 séries de casos, 3 relatos de caso (8,82%) e 1 estudo de prevalência (2,94%). Foram identificados 16 tratamentos tópicos. Gel de Metronidazol tópico apresentou Evidência Forte para o controle do odor (grau A, nível 1C); Curativo de Carvão Ativado e Curativo de Mesalt, Evidência moderada (grau B, nível 2B); Pomada de Curcumin, Evidência Moderada (grau B, nível 2C). Evidência Fraca (grau C) e Muito Fraca (grau D) foram observadas em 12 tratamentos tópicos, que foram: Intervenções com Antibióticos tópicos, Chá verde, Enzimas tópicas, Hidrogéis, Iogurte, Mel, Óleos essenciais, Óleo essencial tópico (associado à Clorofila VO e Antibiótico sistêmico), Pasta de açúcar, Soluções anti-sépticas, Sulfadiazina de Prata e Trióxido de arsênico. A heterogeneidade das intervenções e a qualidade metodológica dos estudos não permitiram metanálise. CONCLUSÕES: Dos 11.111 estudos identificados, 2.93% (n=325) referiam-se aos sintomas em análise por meio de tratamentos tópicos. Dos 59 estudos sobre odor, 34 estudos atenderam a todos os critérios de inclusão. Encontraram-se poucos estudos de boa qualidade e as principais limitações metodológicas foram os desenhos dos estudos, o tamanho da amostra e a ausência de escalas para mensuração do odor. Encontrou-se evidência Grau A ou B para o tratamento de LVM com Gel de Metronidazol Tópico, Curativo de Carvão Ativado, Curativo de Mesalt e Pomada de Curcumin. / INTRODUCTION: Fungating malignant wounds (FMW) is the result of the cutaneous infiltration by cancerous cells and, when exteriorized, they acquire fungating aspect. Malodour, exudate, bleeding, pain and infection are common symptoms, wich are added to the psychological and physical suffering of these patients. The manage of FMW is inserted in the assistance of patients in palliative care. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the scientific literature on FMW and to identify evidences for the topical therapy of malodour in FMW. METHODS: Systematic review. The clinical question of research, using the strategy PICO, was \"Which are the topical/dressings therapy are used for the control of the malodour, exudate, bleeding, pain or infection of FMW? \" The bibliographical search occurred in 09/2006 and it used 14 databases: Banco de Teses – Capes, Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações – USP, Proquest, Current Controlled Trials, BDENF, CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Ovid, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs and EBM Reviews. The data were extracted by reviewer A, checked by B and decisions were taken in consensus. By the analysis of the abstracts, studies about FMW that approached 1 of the 5 investigated symptoms were included. The studies about malodour were entirely analyzed and classified as regards the quality of the study, evidence level and recommendation degree. RESULTS: It was obtained 11.111 studies and of those, 325 (2.93%) referred to the control of some symptoms of FMW through of topical interventions: 12,37% related to the malodour, 16,77% to the exudate, 17,82% to the bleeding, 31,03% to the pain and 22,01% to the infection of FMW; other 202 studies were excluded once they treat other symptoms. Among the studies (n=34) that analyzed the control of the malodour, 5 were clinical trials (14,71%), 20 narrative reviews (58,82%), 5 series of cases, 3 case reports (8,82%) and 1 prevalence study (2,94%); they identified 16 topical treatments. Topical Metronidazole gel presented Strong Evidence for the control of the malodour (degree A, level 1C); Activated Charcoal Dressing and Mesalt Dressing, moderate Evidence (degree B, level 2B); Ointment of Curcumin, Moderate Evidence (degree B, level 2C). Weak evidence (degree C) and Very Weak (degree D) were observed in 12 topical therapy, that were: Interventions with topical Antibiotics, green Tea, topical Enzymes, Hidrogels, Honey, Yogurt, essential Oils, topical essential Oil (associate to the Clorofila PO and systemic Antibiotic), Paste of sugar, antiseptic Solutions, Silver Sulfadiazine and Arsenic trioxide lotion. The heterogeneity of the interventions and the methodological quality of the studies didn\'t allow meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Among of the 11.111 identified studies, 2.93% (n=325) they referred to the symptoms in analysis through topical therapies. Of the 59 studies about malodour, 34 attended to all of the inclusion criteria. There were few studies of good quality and the main methodological limitations were the designs of the studies, the size of the sample and the absence of scales for mensuration of the malodour. Evidence degree A or B was found for treatment of FMW with Topical Metronidazol Gel, Activated Charcoal Dressing, Mesalt Dressing and Ointment of Curcumin

A pneumonia associada à ventilação mecânica (PAVM) é uma infecção freqüente nas Unidades de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), acarretando aumento no período de hospitalização, nos índices de morbimortalidade e com repercussão significativa nos custos. A implementação de medidas específicas para a prevenção da PAVM é baseada em diretrizes para a prática clínica, elaboradas por órgãos governamentais e associações de especialistas. Nesse sentido, é importante destacar a necessidade de atualização permanente dos profissionais da saúde. Frente ao exposto, objetivouse avaliar e descrever as evidências científicas disponíveis sobre as práticas de prevenção da PAVM, em pacientes adultos, hospitalizados em UTI. A prática baseada em evidências representou o referencial teórico-metodológico. E, para a obtenção das evidências de Níveis I e II, publicadas posteriormente à diretriz do CDC, realizou-se a revisão integrativa da literatura nas bases de dados MEDLINE, LILACS, CINAHL e Biblioteca Cochrane. Totalizou-se 23 publicações, agrupadas nas categorias temáticas: 5 (22%) higienização bucal, 7 (30%) aspiração de secreções, 5 (22%) umidificação das vias aéreas, 3 (13%) posicionamento do paciente e 3 (13%) diretrizes para a prática clínica. O uso da clorexidina na higienização bucal de pacientes sob ventilação mecânica diminuiu a colonização da orofaringe, o que pode reduzir a incidência de PAVM. Em adição, a aspiração da secreção subglótica e a terapia cinética mostraram-se medidas eficazes na prevenção da PAVM. Por outro lado, o uso do sistema fechado para a aspiração endotraqueal, a umidificação das vias aéreas com o dispositivo HME (heat and moisture exchanger), o controle da pressão do balonete do tubo endotraqueal, bem como, o posicionamento semirecumbente do paciente não apresentaram impacto na prevenção da PAVM e configuram como questões controversas. Assim, outras pesquisas são necessárias, especialmente, para elucidar questionamentos e implementar novas tecnologias acerca das medidas de prevenção da PAVM, o que sem dúvida repercutirá na qualidade da assistência de pacientes submetidos à ventilação mecânica. / Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common infection in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which leads to a longer period of hospitalization, higher rates of morbidmortality and a significant repercussion on the costs. The implementation of specific measures to prevent VAP is based on clinical practice guidelines elaborated by governmental organizations and expert committees. Thus, it is important to stand out the permanent actualization of health care professionals. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and describe the available scientifical evidences on VAP prevention practices in adult patients hospitalized in the ICU. The evidence based practice represented the theoretical-methodological reference. And, to obtain the evidences Levels I and II, published after the CDC guideline, an integrative review of the literature of MEDLINE, LILACS, CINAHL and Cochrane Library databases was realized. A total of 23 publishing grouped in categories: 5 (22%) oral hygiene, 7 (30%) aspiration of secretions, 5 (22%) airways moisturizing, 3 (13%) patient positioning and 3 (13%) clinical practice guidelines. The use of chlorhexidine in the oral hygiene of the mechanical ventilated patients decreased the oropharyngeal colonization, which may decrease VAP incidence. Besides, the subglottic secretions drainage and the kinetic therapy proved to be efficient on VAP prevention. However, the use of the closed system to the endotracheal aspiration, moisturizing the airways with HME (heat and moisture exchanger), the control of the pressure of the endotracheal tube cuff as well as the semirecumbent positioning of the patient, did not present any impact on the VAP prevention and are controversial matters. Thus, further researches are required mainly to clarify some questions and implement new technologies on measures to prevent VAP, which will certainly reflect on the quality of the assistance given to patients on mechanical ventilation.

Introdução: A Medicina Baseada em Evidências, apesar da grande profusão de publicações da área, enfrenta desafios no intuito de melhorar a qualidade da assistência à saúde. O conhecimento gerado por suas publicações demora a ser posta em prática. Os softwares CDSS de apoio à decisão clínica, podem ser a solução de incorporação das evidências na prática clínica. Esses sistemas já foram associados a melhorias na qualidade de diversos aspectos da assistência à saúde, como a organização, minimização de erros, redução de custos, aumento da eficiência dos cuidados, mas pesquisas com desfechos centrados no paciente ainda são raras. Como outra qualquer intervenção em saúde, as afirmações de que os CDSS são benéficos para o paciente necessitam de confirmação por ensaios clínicos. Objetivos: Verificar se o uso dos CDSS com base em evidências, está associado com melhores resultados clínicos orientados para o paciente. Métodos: Revisão sistemática da literatura dos ensaios clínicos controlados e randomizados que compararam diretamente o uso de CDSS com práticas clínicas convencionais considerando os desfechos clínicos classificados como orientados para o paciente. Resultados: Nossa estratégia de pesquisa identificou 51283 artigos na base MEDLINE-PubMed, sendo 311 selecionados para leitura de título e resumo após a aplicação do filtro para ensaio clínico randomizado, 45 selecionados para leitura do texto completo, dos quais 19 preencheram o critério de elegibilidade. Outros 9 ensaios foram incluídos através da realização de um overview das revisões sistemáticas anteriores. Os ensaios foram publicados entre os anos de 1995 e 2015 e realizados em cinco contextos assistenciais, com duração máxima de 12 meses. A maioria das fontes de evidências que alimentaram os sistemas foram diretrizes de órgão governamental ou sociedades de especialidades. Doze ensaios avaliaram mortalidade, 14 avaliaram hospitalizações ou atendimento de emergência e 6 avaliaram desfechos relacionados a presença de sintomas. Foram realizadas meta-análises de acordo com o contexto assistencial e o tipo de desfecho. Somente uma meta-análise envolvendo a mortalidade de pacientes tratados em ambulatório por diferentes condições clínicas se mostrou estatisticamente significante, favorável ao grupo CDSS, em 3 ensaios randomizados por aglomerado, com risco de viés considerado moderado, que compromete a qualidade da evidência. Conclusões Apesar do potencial dos CDSS no apoio de intervenções de saúde, não há evidência de boa qualidade de que sejam efetivos para aumentar a sobrevida ou a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. O número de ensaios que avaliam esses desfechos, os períodos de tempo pelos quais os pacientes foram seguidos, o número insuficiente de participantes, bem como a heterogeneidade entre os estudos analisados quanto aos cenários clínicos e as fontes de informação que alimentam os softwares não permitiram resultados mais conclusivos / Background: In spite of the wealth of publications in the field, Evidence-Based Medicine faces challenges in order to improve quality of health care. It takes too long for knowledge produced by its publications to be put into practice. Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) may be a solution for incorporation of evidence into clinical practice. These systems have been associated with improvements in quality of various aspects of health care, including its organization, error minimizations, cost reductions and increases in its efficiency, but patient-oriented outcomes are still rare in research literature. Like any other healthcare intervention, claims that CDSS are beneficial for patients need to be confirmed by clinical trials. Objective: To verify whether the use of evidence-based Clinical Decision Support Systems is associated with improved patient-oriented clinical outcomes. Methods: Systematic literature review of randomized controlled trials that directly compared the use of CDSS with usual practice considering clinical outcomes classified as patient-oriented. Results: Our search strategy has identified 51,283 entries in MEDLINE-PubMed and, after filtering for randomized controlled trials 311 papers were selected for title and abstract reading. Forty-five were selected for full-text reading of which 19 have met eligibility criteria. Another nine trials were included after an overview of previous systematic reviews. Trials were published between 1995 and 2015 and performed in five care settings with a maximum follow-up of 12 months. Most evidence sources feeding systems´ knowledge bases were government agency guidelines or specialty societies. Twelve trials have assessed mortality, 14 have assessed hospital admissions and/or emergency visits and nine have assessed symptom-related outcomes. Meta-analyses were performed according to trials´ care setting and outcome types. Only a meta-analysis of three cluster-randomized trials involving mortality among outpatients with different clinical conditions was statistically significant, favouring CDSS group, but risk of bias was moderate, compromising the quality of evidence. Conclusions: Despite the potential of CDSS to improve healthcare quality there is no reliable evidence that they improve patients´ life extension or quality. The insufficient numbers of trials assessing these outcomes, studies´ subjects and follow-up periods, the heterogeneities of clinical settings across studies and knowledge bases feeding the systems impede achieving results that are more conclusive

In South Africa, the quality of health care is directly related to the concept of patient-centred care and the enactment of the Batho Pele Principles and the Patients’ Rights Charter. The quality of health care delivery has dropped drastically, and reports in the media indicate that public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province are on the brink of collapse, with thousands of patients being treated in condemned hospitals. Receiving and rendering health care in the face of such challenges, the question arose: “Are patients receiving patient-centred care in public hospitals?” The answer to this rhetorical inquiry appeared to be obvious, but this research study explored and described professional nurses’ perceptions of patient-centred care in public hospitals and their understanding of evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines. The proposed study followed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design. The research population included professional nurses who are employed in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay, and consisted of nurse managers and nurses who work in the wards. The research study consisted of three phases. In Phase 1, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with nurse managers and professional nurses working in the wards in order to collect data about their perceptions of patient-centred care and their understanding of evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines. The interviews were transcribed and Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis were followed to create meaning from the data collected. Themes were identified and grouped together to form new categories. The researcher ensured the validity of the study by conforming to Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness, which consists of the following four constructs: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. An independent coder assisted with the coding process. In Phase 2, an integrative literature review was conducted in order to identify previous guidelines regarding best practice for patient-centred care. Relevant guidelines were selected, critically appraised, data was extracted and synthesised for the development of a best practice guideline for patient-centred care. An independent appraiser critically appraised the guidelines, thereby ensuring trustworthiness. In Phase 3, the data in Phase 1 and Phase 2 were integrated to formulate a draft best practice guideline for patient-centred care. The guideline was submitted to an expert panel for review and was modified according to the recommendations of the panel, whereby the best practice guideline for patient-centred care in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay was finalized.

Global health organizations attend to populations around the world applying an evidence-based model of care that often does not correspond with local realities on the ground. My thesis provides an in-depth anthropological study of how this occurs within practices in and around World Spine Care's (WSC) clinics in Shoshong and Mahalapye, Botswana. More specifically I explore how knowledge is negotiated and improvised on the ground, paying particular attention to the ways WSC volunteers are (un)able to work with local health workers as they desire. I show the flows and counter-flows implicated in the difficult task of reconciling skills with standards. The study is based on a total of 15 months of participation with WSC's organization through attending meetings, activities and shadowing practitioners both in Ottawa and in Botswana. Expanding the scope of their creative improvisational skills beyond the closed settings of WSC clinics is proposed as a way to move forward.

Background: The East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine Library has participated for several years in projects to provide rural clinicians with health information resources. Objectives: To determine whether a strategy of hand‐held devices with a best‐evidence point‐of‐care disease tool and a drug database paired with access to a medical library for full‐text articles and training to use the tools would be an affordable way to meet the information needs of rural underserved clinicians. Methods: This study is a mixed‐methods methodology. The first project was evaluated using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) methodology. The second was evaluated qualitatively using interviews and focus groups. Results: The quantitative findings discovered that clinicians equipped with a hand‐held device with evidence‐based software more frequently found answers to clinical questions, found answers more quickly, were more satisfied with information they found and use expensive resources such as continuing medical education, online databases and textbooks less than the group that did not have access to online technology. Qualitative results supported the quantitative findings. Conclusion: Librarians can implement a three‐pronged strategy of the secondary literature via a hand‐held, the primary literature via Loansome Doc and quality training to meet basic information needs of rural clinicians.

The thesis focuses on the use of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) methods and principles at the Psychiatric Clinic of the First Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and the General University Hospital in Prague. There is a theoretical introduction to EBM - its origin and development, EBM information resources as well as general basic principles of this approach to work with clinical evidence. Part of this work introduces the history and current activities of the Psychiatric Clinic and the related Psychiatric Association of the Czech Medical Association of J. E. Purkyně. The practical part of the thesis describes the preparation of research and its results. Based on semi-structured interviews with physicians of the Psychiatric Clinic, the results of this research represents their current attitude towards EBM and use of EBM methods in their daily work. The aim of the thesis is also a proposal to raise awareness of EBM information sources in the form of information materials and educational seminars.