Question

Discuss how EBP may or may not be a cost-cutting tool. Explain both sides!

Answer 1

Evidence based practice: it is an integration of research and clinical judgment that is used to evaluate and manage patient issues, it is simply a cost cutting tool, especially with the growth of externally managed care in much of the western world, there is a very real danger that evidence based practice will be used by governement, insurances companies, and other payers as a means of imposing the fastest least expensive form of intervention, cost is only half of what should be examined and the other half is benefit or effectiveness that is a proper criterion should be the cost benefit or cost effectiveness of the intervention, generally a pocedure may be relatively inexpensive to deliver but if its results are limited but it cost benefit ratio may actually be higher than a more expensive but much more effective procedure.