Welcome to Evidence-Based Medicine at Crozer-Keystone Health System.

Evidence based medicine (EBM) integrates current best evidence with clinical expertise, pathophysiologic knowledge, and patient preferences in making decisions about individual patients.  It is based on the construct that patient care for many common conditions, when based on solid medical evidence, has proven to bring about positive outcomes.  This approach, which is being adopted by the best hospitals and health systems across the nation, helps clinicians to make better and safer decisions about how to care for patients.

Crozer Keystone's EBM program began in 2001.  The Evidence Based Medicine Task Force (EBMTF), comprised of leading physicians representing all CKHS institutions, receives governance, policy and strategic direction from the system wide Quality of Care Committee. 

The EBMTF recommends topics for EBM focus and establishes expert physician panels for each of the selected topics in consultation with department chairs.  The structure and function of the EBM program is well defined, addressing topic selection, expert panel composition, guideline development, data collection, and intervention, monitoring and reporting.

The longest established projects are AMI, Pneumonia and Heart Failure.  Projects undertaken within the last two years include, DVT prophylaxis, Surgical Infection Prevention and Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia.  Two new projects for 2006 are Stroke and Pediatric Asthma.