From evidence-based to sustainable healthcare: Cochrane revisited

J Eval Clin Pract. 2022 Oct;28(5):741-744. doi: 10.1111/jep.13698. Epub 2022 May 15.

Abstract

Evidence-based healthcare is the prevailing model for healthcare services. In Cochrane's seminal thinking, political context was included with the purpose of promoting healthcare equity. However, the subsequent evidence-based healthcare models marginalized political context. In this paper, we argue that current models of evidence-based healthcare fail to respond to emerging healthcare challenges. We claim that reintegration of political context is crucial to make healthcare sustainable. Global communities are anticipating ecological crises with immense repercussions for healthcare. This prospect illustrates that healthcare models failing to integrate political context also risk neglecting some of the most relevant healthcare issues of our time.

Keywords: clinical governance; evidence-based medicine; health policy; medical ethics; philosophy of medicine; science.

MeSH terms

  • Delivery of Health Care*
  • Evidence-Based Practice*
  • Humans