Why should you use PICO to define the clinical question?
|
Patient, Population or Problem |
How would I describe a group of patients similar to mine? |
|
Intervention |
Which main intervention, exposure, or prognostic factor am I considering? |
|
Comparison (if appropriate) |
What is the main alternative to compare with the intervention? |
|
Outcome |
What can I hope to accomplish, measure, improve, affect? |
|
Type of Question |
How would I categorize this question (therapy, diagnosis, prognosis, etiology/harm)? |
|
Type of Study |
What would be the best study design in order to answer this question? |
| I need: | Example: | Resources to consider: |
|---|---|---|
|
Point of Care tool (Background question)
|
What are the symptoms of menopause? |
UpToDate (GME) |
|
Background information (Background question) |
I have a new patient with lupus and I need to learn about it |
Textbooks |
| Calculator, Rule, Table, Lab Result, Procedure or Test | What is the dosing conversion for lorazepam and diazepam? |
Lexi-Comp Online (for drugs) |
| Practice Guidelines | What is the current guideline for management of type 2 diabetes in adults? What are the recommended screening guidelines for your new patient? |
PubMed (use article type filter to limit to "practice guidelines") Prevention TaskForce Mobile (ePSS) ECRI Guidelines Trust (requires free registration) |
| Drug Information | Are the two IV infusion drugs, cefazolin and acetaminophen compatible at the Y-site? | |
|
An answer to a narrower, focused clinical question (Foreground question) |
In a toddler with croup, do glucocorticoids reduce symptoms? |
Embase (PICO search option) |
| Information to Share with Patients | Where can I find some nutrition information for my newly-diagnosed patient with diabetes? | |
| Dermatology | Does this patient have rosacea? |
Fitzpatrick's dermatology in general medicine
|
Adapted from Dartmouth College Biomedical Libraries' Finding Evidence-Based Answers to Clinical Questions-Quickly and Effectively
