Searches evidence-based sources such as systematic reviews, practice guidelines, critically-appraised topics and articles, MEDLINE Clinical Queries, medical image databases, e-textbooks, and patient information leaflets.
Searches sources such as PubMed, NGC and DARE. Note: TRIP has better functionality and searches more sources than SUMSearch 2.
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
Authors of a systematic review ask a specific clinical question, perform a comprehensive literature search, eliminate the poorly done studies and attempt to make practice recommendations based on the well-done studies. A meta-analysis is a systematic review that combines all the results of all the studies into a single statistical analysis of results.
The Cochrane Library provides access to Cochrane reviews from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; structured abstracts of other systematic reviews from the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, clinical trials from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; methods studies from the Cochrane Methodology Register; technology assessments from the Health Technology Assessment Database; and economic evaluations from the NHS Economic Evaluation Database.
Prepares and disseminates systematic reviews pertaining to the effects of social interventions in the fields of education, crime and justice, and social welfare.
Developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the guide contains evidence-based recommendations from The Task Force on Community Preventive Services for over 200+ interventions.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses are also searchable in MEDLINE:
- EBSCO MEDLINE with Full Text: Enter your search query. On the Search Options screen, select "Systematic Reviews" under "Subject Subsets."
- PubMed: Click on Clinical Queries link under PubMed Tools. Enter your search query. View your results under the Systematic Reviews section.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses are also searchable in PsycINFO:
- EBSCO PsycINFO: Enter your search query. On the Search Options screen, select the following limits under Methodology: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Critically-Appraised Topics
Authors of critically-appraised topics evaluate and synthesize multiple research studies.
A comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents produced by the Agency for Health Care and Quality, in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans. Updated weekly.
A comprehensive database of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and related documents produced by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans. Updated weekly. Guideline evidence varies from expert opinion to high levels of evidence.
See also a
list of organizations that submit guidelines to the NGC.
Produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), NREPP is a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders.
Search by name of drug, supplement, natural product, disease or condition for evidence-based information. Products are graded ineffective to effective based on evidence-based literature reviews.
Members of The Health Economics Research Centre (HERC) at the University of Oxford iHERC have provided health economics support to several clinical guidelines commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
Aimed at a wide audience, this website provides information about effective treatments for psychological disorders. It includes a basic description of the psychological disorder and treatment and lists key references, clinical resources, and training opportunities for supporting research.
Practice Guidelines are also searchable in MEDLINE:
- EBSCO MEDLINE with Full Text: Enter your search query. Limit your results by "Publication Type: Practice Guideline" on the Search Options screen.
- PubMed: On the Advanced Search screen, enter your search query. Click on "Practice Guideline" under Limit: Type of Article.
Critically-Appraised Individual Articles
Authors of critically-appraised individual articles evaluate and synopsize individual research studies.
Screens the top 100+ clinical journals and identifies studies that are methodologically sound and clinically relevant. Provides an enhanced abstract with a conclusion and commentary for each selected article. Published by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. Note: For articles prior to 2002, request via interlibrary loan.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality contracts with Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPC) to develop evidence reports and technology assessments based on rigorous, comprehensive syntheses and analyses of relevant scientific literature.
An independent journal about evidence-based healthcare published in the UK, Bandolier includes "information about evidence of effectiveness (or lack of it), and put[s] the results forward as simple bullet points of those things that worked and those that did not: a bandolier with bullets. Information comes from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised trials, and from high quality observational studies."
Evidence-Based Journal series (BMJ Publishing Group)
Primary research articles within the discipline are selected for quality and clinical relevance. A structured abstract and expert commentary are provided for each study.
Evidence-Based Medicine - access full text articles prior to 2006 with
free registration
Evidence-Based Mental Health - access all issues of
e-journal
Evidence-Based Nursing - access full text articles prior to 2006 with
free registration
Identifies quality articles from 120 clinical journals which have been selected by research staff, and then rated for clinical relevance and interest by an international group of physicians. Search the database to find the best evidence from the medical literature. Then search for the full text of the article using the
E-Journal Portal or
Citation Linker).
Critically-Appraised Topics are also searchable in MEDLINE:
- EBSCO MEDLINE with Full Text: Enter your search query. On the Search Options screen, select the EBM Reviews check box to limit your search to reviews published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ACP Journal Club, Clinical Evidence, Evidence-Based Mental Health, Evidence-Based Nursing, and AHRQ Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments.
Evidence is not always available via filtered resources. Searching the primary literature may be required. It is possible to use specific search strategies in MEDLINE and other databases to achieve the highest possible level of evidence.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Oxford University)
The Centre develops, teaches and promotes evidence-based health care and provides support and resources to doctors and health care professionals including tools for teaching.
Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Toronto)
Includes many resources for practicing and teaching EBM.
EBM Subject Guide
A selective list of additional EBM websites developed and maintained by Duke University Medical Center Library.
Netting the Evidence
Search engine dedicate to the methodology of evidence-based practice.
Users' Guides to Evidence-Based Practice (JAMAevidence)
From the University of Alberta's Centre for Health Evidence. Includes the complete set of EBM Users' Guides originally published as a series in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
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Produced by Jan Glover, David Izzo, Karen Odato and Lei Wang.