Clinicians from all disciplines and specialties require up-to-date information in order to deliver the best possible care. It is imperative that information is relevant, valid, and obtainable in a realistic fashion. Information mastery is the applied practice of evidence-based medicine. Information Mastery: Evidence-Based Family Medicine, Second Edition outlines the techniques and resources necessary for clinicians to incorporate an evidence-based approach to the care of patients. This second edition uses “Usefulness Equation” as a guide to the Information System, whereby the usefulness of information varies directly with the relevance of information and the validity, divided by the work it takes to obtain the information.

This text focuses on all three factors: learning how to obtain valid information from journal articles, reviews, CME, experts, practice guidelines, decision analysis, and pharmaceutical representatives; how to focus on relevant information – POEMS (Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters) – in order to provide more effective patient care and that which has the potential to change clinical practice; and finally, how to access this information quickly and efficiently. This edition also focuses on “Point of Care”, stressing the use of computer-based systems, especially hand-held computers. Special to the accompanying CD-ROM are instructions for teacher to aid in effectively conveying key concepts.