Definition of POEMs - Tips - Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters

American Family Physician,  August 1, 2003  

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

American Family Physician has begun publishing POEMs in each issue. The acronym POEMs stands for Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters, and refers to summaries of valid research that is relevant to physicians and their patients. POEMs are selected from research published in more than 100 clinical journals. Each month, a team of family physicians and educators reviews these journals and identifies research results that are important and can be applied to day-to-day practice. The valid POEMs are summarized, reviewed, revised, and compiled into InfoRetriever, part of the InfoPOEMs Clinical Awareness System, copyright by InfoPOEMs, Inc. POEMs have to meet three criteria: they address a question that primary care physicians face in day-to-day practice; they measure outcomes important to physicians and patients, including symptoms, morbidity, quality of life, and mortality; and they have the potential to change the way physicians practice. Studies that do not meet these criteria cannot be a POEM.

Types of Studies Selected

* Studies of treatments must be randomized controlled trials.

* Studies of diagnostic tests, such as in a laboratory or as part of the physical examination

* Only systematic reviews, including meta-analyses, are considered rather than nonsystematic reviews.

* Studies of prognosis that identify patients before they have the outcome of importance and are able to follow-up at least 80 percent of the study population

* Decision analysis involves choosing an action after formally and logically weighing the risks and benefits of the alternatives.

* Qualitative research findings are reported if they are highly relevant, although specific conclusions will not be drawn from the research.

The POEMs published in AFP are selected from InfoPOEMs: The Clinical Awareness System Web site. The complete list of topics is available to InfoPOEMs subscribers at www.InfoPOEMs.com. The level of evidence is based on criteria developed by the Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. Level 1 is the most rigorous level and level 5 is the least rigorous level. A complete description of the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine rating scale is available at www.InfoPOEMs.com/loe.cfm.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group