Are evidenced-based practice and best practice the same?

In summarizing this discussion of the meaning of EvBP and best practice and their relationship to each other, there is merit in beginning with a delineation of six characteristics of quality care. These six characteristics synthesized by Brown (2001, p. 1) consist of care that is (a) patient centered, (b) scientifically based, (c) population outcomes based, (d) refined through quality improvement and benchmarking, (e) individualized to each patient, and (f) compatible with system policies and resources. These characteristics set the stage and reinforce critical aspects of the definition of both concepts: EvBP and best practice. For evidence to be meaningfully and successfully translated into practice by individuals, and groups of practitioners, the concept of best practice adds an organizational and ongoing quality monitoring to promote continual improvement. Best practice is not a specific practice per se but rather a level of agreement about research-based knowledge and an integrative process of embedding this knowledge into the organization and delivery of health care. The question "Are EvBP and best practice the same?" has guided this discussion, which has focused on how these concepts are related to each other but not the same. Best practice requires a level of agreement about evidence to be integrated into practice. The challenge now is to answer this question: "How can practice be built based on evidence and an environment supportive of this kind of practice?" The struggle needing to be faced is how to devise strategies to operationalize best practice. A beginning identification of the multiple questions and issues in doing so are outlined by Harrison, Logan, Lynn, and Graham (1998), and Newman and Papadopoulos (2000). Plus, Mulhall (1998) poses the challenging question of how is nursing best placed to maximize the benefits that some kind of evidenced-based care can bring? Research is needed into the situations under which evidence can be adopted into practice--and into the consequences of doing so. Best practice, built on a foundation of EvBP, can bridge the practice-research gap and provide a basis for researchers and clinicians to work together to translate research into meaningful practice. Understanding the concept of EvBP and joining together to devise best practice for health care organizations can promote achieving the goal of desired patient outcomes.