Protocol for the Quick Clinical study: a randomised controlled trial to assess the impact of an online evidence retrieval system on decision-making in general practice . Although I feel more research is needed in this area I’m not hugely convinced about the meaningfulness of any results from this trial. One can predict that those that used ‘Quick Clinical’ will help change clinician behaviour and support clinical decisions. But, more importantly, it won’t check on patient outcomes.

If we want doctors, nurses etc to incorporate ‘evidence’ into their practice we need them to use it routinely, make it very easy to use and supply ‘nuggets of evidence’. I really don’t think that is controversial.

On an unrelated note and following on from earlier blog-entries about USA about citywide wireless access, Norwich, UK is doing the same (click here for BBC News story). I’m still convinced that wireless access to the internet will be widespread (at least in the ‘developed’ nations) in the not too distant future.