Access to evidence-based healthcare information: Web-based training for consumers and providers

Evidence-based healthcare (EBH) and evidence-based medicine (EBM) is being promoted internationally as the best way to insure that providers and consumers are as knowledgeable as possible about what is known, and what is not supported, in medical and health practices and processes. The international Cochrane Collaboration is considered to be the independent, gold-standard for systematic reviews of healthcare interventions and practices and is committed to giving full access to its information sources to increase the health literacy worldwide of consumers.In order to promote greater use of evidence-based healthcare in patient education and in consumer decision making and advocacy efforts Consumers United for EBH, in conjunction with the US Cochrane Center, has completed development of a web-based, 6 module self-directed training course on evidence-based healthcare (EBH) for consumer advocates and healthcare providers. The course will be housed within the Johns Hopkins's Distance Education Learning Center; is interactive with both didactic materials and case study exercises; and assists users in how to access, understand and apply access to The Cochrane Library and other sources of reliable evidence-based health information. This presentation will review use of the on-line self-directed modules, review how to use the Cochrane Library and other internet databases on EBH and how to use the course in conjunction with a presentation, a workshop and/or a classroom setting for consumers, consumer organizations and health educators.