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National Working Group for Evidence-Based Health Care

The National Working Group for Evidence-Based Health Care is an organization representing other organizations, professionals and individuals who seek to promote patient rights and professional ethics through the medium of evidence based research and the application of evidence based health care. The National Working Group states on its website that, "In January 2006, Mental Health America (MHA) convened the National Working Group on Evidence-based Health Care (The Working Group) to help ensure greater patient-focused, consumer knowledge, and involvement in national and state-focused initiatives seeking to promote a better quality of care. A core activity of many of these initiatives is the review, interpretation, and dissemination of information about scientific research."

The National Working Group for Evidence-Based Health Care presents as its mission and core principles the following:

Mission:

The National Working Group on Evidence Based Healthcare represents consumers, caregivers, practitioners and researchers committed to promoting accurate and appropriate evidence-based policies and practices that improve the quality of healthcare services in the United States. We are dedicated to healthcare that relies on the most up-to-date research, clinician expertise, and consumer values. Through education and advocacy, the working group seeks to:

• Communicate and inform other stakeholders, policymakers and the public about the importance of and appropriate use of evidence in public policy decisions.
• Establish a forum for information and resource exchange on federal and state initiatives to review evidence and public policy trends around evidence-based healthcare (EBH).
• Advocate for transparency and inclusion of all stakeholders in evidence-based policies and decisions, and to advocate for a broad definition of evidence in making these decisions.
• Develop consensus for common principles on evidence-based healthcare.

Core Principles:

It is important for consumers to know the following core values of EBH:

• Evidence-based healthcare should support individualized care and not dictate "one-size-fits-all" treatment.
• Each consumer should be treated individually based on needs, health status, history and other individual factors.
• Any process developed for reviewing scientific evidence and translating those findings for decision makers should be clearly-stated, flexible in nature, and include consumer representation.
• Acceptable research evidence should not be limited to randomized clinical studies. All types of research should be incorporated to ensure all racial/ethnic groups are included.
• Safety and finding the right treatment for the individual should be a top goal of evidence-based healthcare.
• Evidence should support doctor and consumer decision-making rather than dictate treatment.

Get Information and join the National Working Group on Evidence-Based Health Care at:
http://www.evidencebasedhealthcare.org/index.cfm

NGCHEP.org