An evidence-based care program in a local healthcare setting in Brazil: Experience and impact

Abstract

Objective: To provide an overview of the activities and impact of an Evidence-Based Care Program (EBCP) on professionals’ decision-making in a large hospital located in São Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Retrospective descriptive analysis of a hospital EBCP’s database (covering a 40-month period), involving data from the studies conducted and an online feedback survey. Results: Since its inception, the EBCP performed 95 scientific technical reports, including 55 Rapid Systematic Reviews (RSR) and 40 Literature Reviews (LR). The authors identified 21 review topics, with the 3 most common being inpatients (n = 20), oncology (n = 11), and surgical procedure (n = 9). The 3 most common technologies assessed were medical devices (n = 28), drugs (n = 27), and scale/questionnaire (n = 16). Studies were mainly used to update policy or procedure (n = 59), support scientific research (n = 10), support clinical program development (n = 8), provide clinical guidance (n = 7), or as a communication tool (n = 5). Among the requestors who responded to the feedback survey (76/95), 97% agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the review delivered, and 100% indicated that they likely would request a review in the future and would indicate the EBCP to a coworker. Among the RSR responders (51/55), 94% agreed or strongly agreed that the EBCP work informed their project or final decision, and 32% reported that the result presented changed their perspective about the technology assessed. Conclusion: Employing evidence-based methodology, the program provided timely and pertinent evidence for local decision-making. Health professionals who utilized the EBPC expressed high satisfaction with the process and reported a positive shift in their decision-making.