Abstract

The aim of evidence-based medicine is to support clinical decision making by providing tools for systematically locating, appraising, and applying the best information currently available to improve patient outcomes. This article summarizes the basic steps for practicing evidence-based medicine in the management of cutaneous diseases. Special emphasis is placed on the following 4 major steps in the process: asking a clinical question taking into consideration 4 elements; finding the evidence; critically appraising the evidence; and integrating the new information into clinical expertise and judgment, in order to make the best decision in each clinical setting. © 2009 Academia Española de Dermatología y Venereología.