Evidence Based Medicine

Catalyst & Flow operates in the field of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). Now, it might seem straight forward – evidence based. So, based on validated research, right!? Well, that’s one component, for sure (and there’s actually more to that one than meets the eye). But there are two other critical components of EBM.

The three pillars of the EBM triad are:

🔎 Best research/scientific literature – this requires a health literate clinician to critically evaluate the highest quality scientific research available relative to a specific disease state or treatment protocol. What’s often not included here is traditional/tribal medical systems which the Western medical community can overlook because they haven’t necessarily been written down or ‘studied’. However, many contemporary alternative medical practitioners believe that if a treatment protocol has been used successfully and continuously within a tribe or tradition for three consecutive generations (about 75 years), this can be accepted as evidence based.

🔎 Clinical experience – this is about the knowledge & expertise the clinician has acquired which allows them to analyse and interpret what the patient is experiencing. Over time and by seeing many clients and continually reviewing the literature, clinicians develop a deep understanding about how to formulate patient-centred treatment protocols.

🔎 Patient preferences & values – this is about giving patients as much detail as possible (based on the other two pillars) so they can make informed decisions about their own treatment. This is about empowering the patient to consider the evidence against their own values. This is a really important part of the Catalyst & Flow approach. I never like my clients to feel like I’m talking at them – the approach is collaborative. Therapist as teacher so the patient feels educated and in control of their health journey.

Each pillar of the triad is just as important as the others, they are dependant on each other.