Best practices research.

"Best practices research," described in this paper, refers to a systematic process used to identify, describe, combine, and disseminate effective and efficient clinical and/or management strategies developed and refined by practicing clinicians. It involves five steps: development of a conceptual model or series of steps, definition of "best" based on values and standards, identification and evaluation of potentially effective methods for each component or step, combination of most-effective methods, and testing of combined methods. The chronological development of this process is described with case examples, and the methodological steps are discussed.