Massage Therapy: Evidence-Based Practice

As defined by Levin (2006), "evidence-based practice (EBP) is a framework for clinical practice that incorporates the best available scientific evidence with the expertise of the clinician and the patient's preferences and values to make decisions about health care." This definition has been expanded upon in recent years and is described by Melynyk and Fineout-Overholt (2011) as a "life-long learning approach to clinical practice that integrates

• A systematic search for as well as critical appraisal and synthesis of the most relevant and best research (i.e. external evidence)
• One's own clinical expertise, which includes internal evidence generated from outcomes management or quality improvement projects, a thorough patient assessment, and evaluation and use of available resources (i.e. internal evidence)
• Patient preferences and values"

Six steps of Evidence-Based Practice

1. Ask a clinical question in PICOT format
2. Collect the best, most relevant evidence
3. Critique the evidence
4. Integrate the evidence 
5. Evaluate the practice decision 
6. Share the outcomes