Evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM): an introduction

What is evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM)? Definition, key concepts, and benefits for veterinary professionals.

What is evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVP)?

Evidence-based veterinary medicine is about combining clinical expertise with the most relevant and best available scientific evidence, while taking into account patient and owner/keeper circumstances. An evidence-based approach can be applied to all aspects of the delivery of veterinary care, from diagnosis to treatment and beyond.

EBVM is a structured approach that supports clinical decision-making. It supports quality improvement methods to assess outcomes and make changes to practice where necessary.

EBVM and the veterinary professions

Veterinary medicine has always relied on evidence, but the introduction of EBVM has made this process more explicit.

Given the constant growth in information, it can be hard to find reliable, up-to-date evidence relevant to a particular interest or case. EBVM helps veterinary professionals to identify, appraise and apply high-quality, relevant information that supports clinical decision-making, and the delivery of veterinary care, to the benefit of animal welfare.

The 5 As model in evidence-based veterinary medicine

The ‘5 As’ model is a framework that helps to structure the process of finding evidence to support veterinary care and using this evidence effectively. You can use it in individual cases or to develop guidelines for your practice. It works as a cycle, so that you can make improvements to practice in an ongoing and sustainable way.

There are five main steps in the 5 As model:

Ask: convert your information needs into answerable questions.
Acquire: track down the best evidence to help answer the questions.
Appraise: review the evidence to ensure it is relevant and valid.
Apply: use the evidence in clinical practice.
Assess: evaluate the impact of the evidence on practice.

Benefits of evidence-based veterinary medicine

EBVM can help veterinary professionals to:

improve confidence in clinical decision-making
treat challenging cases
evaluate different treatment approaches and marketing material
update your knowledge about a particular condition or subject
create and review practice guidelines
undertake quality improvement
deal with information overload
fulfil your professional responsibilities¹
develop skills and progress your career.

Who is EBVM for?

Depending on the subject matter, everyone in a veterinary team can learn how to use and apply EBVM. Working as a team can make the process more approachable and richer, and more sustainable when it comes to implementing changes.

It can be hard to find the time to get to grips with EBVM skills, so we have developed many free resources to support you. We also provide access to a wealth of veterinary science and animal health resources through our library and information service.

You may find you get hooked on using evidence, and want to create some of your own. We have support to guide you through that too.