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Evidence-Based Knowledge Management: an approach to effectively promote good health-care decision-making in the Information Era

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Abstract

The sharing of information and the growth of knowledge together represent a foundation for the promotion of quality improvement of health care systems. This paper concerns knowledge, not only from an epistemological point of view, but also from a pragmatic one. In our paper, knowledge is discussed as the hub to promote better decision making and continuous professional development. Effective thinking is particularly needed. The critical point is to think about how health care systems can develop both an effective knowledge management network and how health-care organizations can actually be based on it. In this way, knowledge and knowledge hierarchy are defined according to Russel Achkoff’s vision. Generally, knowledge is crucial in decision-making, and Evidence-Based Medicine has its roots in knowledge. In particular, information management is the basis for a significant production of knowledge to promote good health-care decision-making. Thus, relationships between knowledge management and Evidence-Based Medicine are discussed, and a new paradigm is proposed: the Evidence-Based Knowledge Management. Finally, the role of Evidence-Based Knowledge Management within Clinical Governance is discussed together with some considerations about clinical governance implementation problems in Italy.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Emanuela Martella and Paola Martorana for language revision of this manuscript. Funding: No external sources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Knowledge Management, Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine, University of Palermo, Piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Salvatore Corrao, Luigi Calvo, Rosario Scaglione & Giuseppe Licata

  2. Clinical and Experimental Department of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy

    Vincenzo Arcoraci & Achille Patrizio Caputi

  3. Clinical Methodology, Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, National Relevance Hospital Trust Civico e Benfratelli, Palermo, Italy

    Sabrina Arnone

  4. Department of General and Emergency Surgery, and Transplantation, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Cristofaro Di Bernardo

  5. Regional Ministry of Health, Sicily Region, Department of Biotechnology and Forensic Medicine, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

    Roberto Lagalla

Authors
  1. Salvatore Corrao
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  2. Vincenzo Arcoraci
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  3. Sabrina Arnone
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  4. Luigi Calvo
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  5. Rosario Scaglione
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  6. Cristofaro Di Bernardo
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  7. Roberto Lagalla
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  8. Achille Patrizio Caputi
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  9. Giuseppe Licata
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Correspondence to Salvatore Corrao.

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Corrao, S., Arcoraci, V., Arnone, S. et al. Evidence-Based Knowledge Management: an approach to effectively promote good health-care decision-making in the Information Era. Intern Emerg Med 4, 99–106 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-008-0185-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-008-0185-4

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