Evidence-based reproductive health care: getting evidence into practice

Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 2004: 30(1) The gap between evidence and practice Clinical research continually produces new findings that can contribute to better patient care. However, such research cannot benefit patients unless doctors (and other health care professionals) adopt them in practice. A well-recognised time lag occurs between the emergence of research evidence and its incorporation into routine practice. This occurs because of delays in both compiling research findings in a systematic fashion1 and a wide range of barriers to changes in clinical practice.2 The problem ranges from the continued inappropriate use of ineffective practices to the failure to adopt new evidence-based practices. In this article we will examine some of the obstacles that stop us incorporating good evidence into practice, some ways to improve how we can identify evidence, and various approaches to improving clinical practice.