Want the fast lane? Just click on this link:
sco.lt/67gWn3 to listen to a nationally recognized professional in the field of behavioral health interview me as he and I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having an Evidence Based Practices focus.
No matter what field you work in, you are likely aware that globally speaking there is an increased focus on using evidence-based practices, commonly known as EBP’s. A key front runner in the EBP movement is healthcare, where there’s been a focus on doctors needing to do more than just saying a certain treatment can be effective. Rather, the focus with the EBP movement is to use the very most empirically supported treatment that will have the greatest degree of effectiveness.
This is an immensely important issue for any of you who were considering what doctor you want to work with, no matter what healthcare problem you are bringing to the table. Why? Just because a doctor says they are Evidence Based does not mean they will be effective necessarily. Secondly, another problem is in some areas of healthcare practice there has simply not been a significant amount of scientific analysis conducted. In other words, there is an absence of evidence. So the question is, if you or your child has a healthcare problem, and it is a rare condition (or unique combination of problems – e.g., a 10-year-old having depression, anxiety, and learning disability), how do you evaluate the relative effectiveness any particular practitioner will have?
Recently, I had an opportunity to be interviewed by Mr. Lon Woodbury, MA, IECA, CEP, who is the leadership behind Woodbury Reports, Inc., regarding the advantages and weakness of the Evidence Based Practices meant.
A few key points you want to remember:
— One way you can interview and “vet” a potential healthcare professional is to ask them what evidence-based methods they would use to treat the problem you are bringing to the table.
— You or your child no doubt have unique personality, no matter how common the problem is that you bring to the table. A key question you can ask a healthcare practitioner is how do they account for the fact that the problem you or your child have needs that need to be treated within the context of your or your child’s personality.
— While evidence-based practices should be a focus, “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”. In other words, just because the treatment does not have significant amount of evidence behind it does not necessarily mean it lacks scientific validity.
–If a doctor you are considering working with is using a novel approach that is not heavily researched, you can still ask them how their proposed treatment plan relates to the current evidence-based work in that area. The degree to which they can intelligently tie what they are doing to the evidence-based principles in that field of healthcare will tell you a lot.
If you wish to know more about Lon Woodberry:
Woodbury Reports, Inc. was founded in November 1989, by Lon Woodbury, MA, IECA, CEP, as an Independent Educational Consulting firm to help parents of teens making poor decisions select a private, parent choice program that would help return the family to normalcy.
In 1995, www.StrugglingTeens.com went online as the original website for information about the many schools and programs available for troubled teens. The news and articles listed within this site provide an invaluable resource for both parents and professionals, as well as anyone interested in helping troubled teens find successful paths to adulthood.
With a combination of training and 20+ years of experience, our educational consultants provide balanced news, information, and provide professional help for parents of struggling and troubled teens helping families find programs, services, and schools for teens and at risk youth.
Please click on the following link to listen to our interview:
http://www.strugglingteens.com/audio/Interviews/2015/DrTomBrunner-GettingTreatmentRight150429.mp3
(Click on the title: Getting Mental Health Treatment Right-Short Interview. Then click on the title again on the next page.)