Knowledge transfer in surgery: skills, process and evaluation

INTRODUCTION Knowledge transfer is an essential element to the management of surgical health care. In a routine clinical practice, surgeons need to make changes to the health care they provide as new clinical evidence emerges. MATERIALS AND METHODS The information was derived from the authors' experience and research in evidence based practice, searching of the literature, teaching and organisation of various national and international workshops on evidence based medicine. DISCUSSION This manuscript discusses principles of knowledge transfer in surgery including evaluation of recommended changes that can improve quality of health care in routine surgical practice. Skills, process and evaluation are carefully described. Continuous information delivery is required to enable surgeons to improve knowledge transfer and to keep up to date their knowledge.