The contribution of information technology to improving clinicians' access to high quality evidence.
Geddes JR.
OBJECTIVE: Rapid access to the results of high quality research studies for real time use during clinical care is the aim of evidence-based medicine. METHODS: The current volume and methods of disseminating research findings are barriers to this goal. Electronic publishing, CD-ROMs for personal computers, and Internet-based databases and searching are tools helping to overcome these barriers. RESULTS: Several examples in the United Kingdom and United States employing these tools are described. CONCLUSIONS: Technology is making traditional narrative reviews such as printed textbooks obsolete for the practice of evidence-based medicine.