Description

Women attending gynaecology clinics are like any other patients; they have a problem and are seeking the best possible treatment whether the problem is heavy periods, pelvic pain, incontinence, sub-fertility or cancer. In many circumstances the management of such conditions is being biased towards the clinicians own personal preferences, and evidence indicates that it is likely to be invalid. There is no doubt that clinical acumen is fundamental to good medical practice. The ability to extract pertinent information from patients and to demonstrate clinical signs can only be achieved by clinical experience. However, decisions on optimising patient management can only be achieved by having access to reliable, accurate and up-to-date information. The practice of evidence-based gynaecology aims at the integration of clinical experience with the most accurate external information, providing the most suitable and cost effective management.