Supporting allied health practitioners in evidence-based practice: A case report

Aims: The Centre for Allied Health Evidence in collaboration with the Department of Health, South Australia, initiated structured journal clubs across selected metropolitan and country allied health-care sites. The aim was to provide a sustainable model of journal club to keep allied health practitioners informed of the current best evidence. This case report describes the development of the journal club, and its evaluation to date. Methods: The journal club development and its component processes are described. Evaluation of the journal club was conducted using a survey to ascertain participants' knowledge and attitude towards evidence-based practice and their expectations of journal clubs. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore reasons for interest in journal clubs, local barriers to implementation and sustainability,and members' perspectives of journal clubs. Findings: The processes involved in the journal club comprised six distinct steps, from development of a clinical scenario to reflect issues in current clinical practice, to dissemination of the research publication and its critical appraisal at the health service site. Evaluation of participants' attitudes revealed a lack of confidence in research interpretation, positive expectations of the journal club (in applying research to practice), and a reliance on peers for research information. The journal club model was found to be effective in addressing the significant barriers of access and evaluation of research evidence. Conclusions: The case report demonstrates how this unique model of collaborative partnership between researchers and allied health practitioners can address the barriers in evidence-based practice, which could potentially impact on overall health service quality. Further evaluation of this model is needed.