Physicians' Evidence-Based Clinical Decision-Making Practices for New Drug Prescriptions: A Qualitative Study

Failure to use research evidence to inform decision-making is one of the reasons for the inappropriate prescribing behavior of physicians. The purpose of this study is to understand the process of physicians’ evidence-based clinical decision-making for new drug prescriptions. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted and thematic coding was used for data analysis. The findings suggest that at the point-of-care (POC), given the time constraints, physicians seek information from readily accessible and reliable sources such as medical websites. They use pre-appraised information sources as well as their professional networks to access critically appraised information. Expert knowledge sources (e.g., specialists, colleagues) play a crucial role throughout the process, from information seeking to application in clinical decision-making. Medical information systems facilitating immediate access to summarized reliable evidence with features to connect to the communities of practice in real-time can be an effective strategy to improve physicians’ evidence-based practice for new drug prescriptions.