Project to Enhance Research Literacy (PERL)

Achieving Competency in Evidence Informed Practice (EIP): A Resource Guide for Educators

Introduction 

Skills in collaborative care are essential for all healthcare practitioners. Knowledge of other health care systems and the practices of colleagues in other fields, commonly referred to as inter-professional education (IPE), provides the framework for this type of care. Found in classrooms, teaching clinics, and research projects, IPE for health care students and faculty enhance the ability to collaborate. 

For members of integrative health professions, education in IPE is very important as the face of healthcare is changing to be more inclusive of an integrative approach. Patients are starting to form their own healthcare teams and health systems are opening their doors to opportunities in interdisciplinary, inpatient and outpatient environments. 

To meet the needs of educators in integrative healthcare fields, the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health (ACIH, formerly known as ACCAHC) developed six Competencies for Optimal Practice in Integrated Environments. These competencies and related knowledge areas are guides to facilitate collaboration and improve patient care through enhancing mutual respect and understanding across healthcare professions. Competency 5 focuses on Evidence Informed Practice as an essential skill for facilitating inter-professional collaborative care and optimal patient care. 

General Competency statement, Competency 5- Evidence Based Health Care and Evidence Informed Practice

Explain, evaluate, and apply scientific evidence in the context of practitioner experience and patient preferences and apply evidence informed decision-making in integrated healthcare delivery.

This resource guide provides general guidance and highlights specific educational resources for each of the seven sub-competencies that comprise Competency #5. For each sub-competency, the following is provided (for more detail please refer to the users guide):

a) brief description; 
b) corresponding learning objectives;
c) suggested resource list;
d) example classroom activity; and
e) a short vignette.

Resources for each of the seven sub-competencies can be found in the users guide. A PDF version is also available for download.

Acknowledgements 

Compilation of this resource could not have been accomplished without collaboration and support from many individuals. We thank the following individuals for their time and assistance in this endeavor.

Belinda Anderson, PhD, LAc- Academic Dean and Research Director at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (new York); Assistant Clinical Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; ACIH Research Working Group Co-Chair; PERL Advisory Team Member.

Jennifer Brett, ND, LAc- Director for the University of Bridgeport Acupuncture Institute; ACIH Clinical Working Group and PERL Advisory Team Member.

Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD- Professor, Department of Research, National University of Health Sciences; President, Massage Therapy Foundation; ACIH Research Working Group and PERL Advisory Team Member.

Stephen Cina Lic. Ac., MAOM, ATC, NASM CES- Dept. Chair Orthopedic Acupuncture, New England School of Acupuncture; ACIH Clinical Working Group Member.

Gregory D. Cramer, PhD, DC- Professor of Anatomy and Research, Dean of Research, National University of Health Sciences; ACIH Research Working Group Member.

Stan Dawson, DC, LMT- ACIH Board Member, Alliance for Massage Therapy Education (AFMTE); ACIH Education Working Group Member.

Roni Evans, DC, MS, PhD-  Associate Professor, Integrative Health & Wellbeing Research Program, Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota; PERL Advisory Team Member.

Courtney Everson, PhD- Medical Anthropologist and Dean of Graduate Studies, Midwives College of Utah; ACIH Research Working Group Member.

Stacy Gomes, EdD- ACIH Board Member, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine; ACIH Education Working Group Member.

Aviad Haramati, PhD- Director for the Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE), Co-director, graduate program in Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Professor, Georgetown University; ACIH Council of Advisors and PERL Advisory Team Member.

Dale Healey, DC, PhD.- Dean, College of Undergraduate Health Sciences, Northwestern Health Sciences University; Board Member, ACIH; ACIH Education Working Group Co-Chair.

Dawn Hogue, MA, CMT- Chair, Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation; Senior Administrator, Cayce/Reilly School of Massotherapy; ACIH Education Working Group Member.

Jennifer Johnson, ND- Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Bastyr University; ACIH Education Working Group Member.

Ron LeFebvre, DC, MA - Professor, University of Western States; Executive Director of the Consortium for Evidence Informed Practice Educators (CEIPE); PERL Advisory Team Member.

Martha Menard, PhD, LMT- Director, Crocker Institute; Research Faculty, College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences, Saybrook University; ACIH Research Working Group and PERL Advisory Team Member.

Marcia Prenguber, ND- Past President, Council on Naturopathic Medical Education; Dean, College of Naturopathic Medicine, University of Bridgeport; Co-chair ACIH Clinical Working Group; PERL Advisory Team Member.

Nichole Reding, MA, CPM, LDM- ACIH Board Member, Midwifery Education Accreditation Council; Academic Coordinator, Birthingway College of Midwifery; ACIH Education Working Group and PERL Advisory Team Member.

Jane D. Saxton, M.L.I.S.- Director of Library Services, Bastyr University; PERL Advisory Team Member.

Jan Schwartz, MA - Founding Member, ACIH; Past-Chair, Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation; Founder, Education and Training Solutions LLC; ACIH Education Working Group and PERL Advisory Team Member.

James Snow, M.A., RH (AHG)- Assistant Provost for Academic Research, Interim Academic Director, Integrative Health Sciences, Maryland University of Integrative Health.

Katherine Taromina, MS, L.Ac.- Program Manager, Center for Comprehensive Wellness, Integrative Therapies Program, Columbia University Medical Center.

Michael Wiles, DC, MEd, MS- Dean, Keiser University College of Chiropractic; ACIH Education Working Group Member.

Additionally, we thank the following individuals for their initial work on the EIP competency as members of the Adopt a Competency Task force; Jennifer Brett, ND, LAc, Carlo Calabrese, ND, MPH, Kristina Conner, ND, Gregory Cramer DC, PhD., Stan Dawson, DC, CNMT, Vincent F. DeBono, DC , Donna Feeley, MPH, BSN, RN, NCTMB, Liza Goldblatt, PhD, MPA/HA, Stacy Gomes, EdD ,Thomas Grieve, DC, Hong Jin, LAc, Anthony Lisi, DC, Whitney Lowe, LMT, William Meeker DC, MPH, Reed Phillips DC, PhD, Marcia Prenguber, ND, Molly Punzo, MD, Jan Schwartz, MA, BCTMB, Tom Souza, DC, and Kathy Taromina, LAc., Jamey Wallace, Kory Ward-Cook, PhD, MT(ASCP), CAE, John Weeks, Mike Wiles, MS, DC, Med, Jason Wright, LAc, Ron Zaidman, MTCM, MBA, and Bingzeng Zou, PhD, DC, LAc. 

Several of the EIP resources referenced in this project were developed through funding from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH; formerly NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health to the following institutions: Bastyr University (R25AT002876), National College of Natural Medicine (R25AT002878), National University of Health Sciences (R25AT002872), Northwestern Health Sciences University (R25AT003582), Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (R25AT002879), Palmer College of Chiropractic (R25AT003580), and the University of Western States (R24AT002880). Contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NCCIH.