| 5-min read |
WHY RESEARCH? "PRIMUM NON NOCERE" - FIRST, DO NO HARM. ALL CHIROPRACTORS SHOULD STRIVE TO ABIDE BY THIS DICTUM, REGARDLESS OF THEIR SCOPE OF PRACTICE.
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- By Alexis Griffith -
ne way in which we can assure that we do no harm and have patients’ best interests in mind is through evidenceinformed, patient-centered practice guidelines, which are a result of critical thinking, rational discussion and scientific research. Regardless of personal viewpoints, research and current literature awareness not only have a rightful place in our practice, but a non-negotiable one at that. Scientific inquiry is the basis from which all understanding of the universe has been acquired. It is how we have continuously discovered answers to things unknown, all the while filling our gaps in knowledge and challenging the ways in which we think. We’re all familiar with the classic example of Copernicus’ Heliocentric Theory. In the 16th century, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus proposed that the Earth and other planets orbit the Sun, instead of the other way around. Had this never been discovered, life may not have been very different. But the discovery of the true nature of our solar system led to further inquiry and discovery, resulting in the advancement and accuracy of what we currently know about the universe and its governing laws. Why should healthcare research, namely chiropractic research, be any different? An evidence-informed approach is simply that. Evidence-informed. This means that the current best evidence is utilized consciously and responsibly in the assessment and decision-making regarding individual patients and their personalized care. It should not, however, be assumed that best empirical evidence 8 | LIFEWEST.EDU/LIFELINES-MAGAZINE/
is the only important aspect when approaching patient treatment. Clinical knowledge and expertise, understanding patient values and experiences, and developing solid relationships with patients that are based on mutual respect are all vital elements to what is known as the Evidence Informed Practice Model. It takes what we know clinically from empirical evidence and puts the patient at the center of care by emphasizing outcome markers that matter directly to them. Will the patient actually get out of pain and back to their daily activities and passions? Will the treatment plan meet this person where they are and positively affect their outlook and quality of life? This is called patient-centered care and, along with evidence informed practice, strives to ensure the most clinical efficacy possible.
"Certainty is the enemy of curiosity, and research is curiosity in practice" The opposite of patient-centered care is doctorcentered care, in which patients are viewed the same and treated the same due to the false belief that there is only one cause of their problems and only one way to help them. For example, a physician that does not have a patient-centered approach would treat 10 different patients with 10 different conditions the same exact way. This is a result of clinging to traditional
