LMBP Glossary

Best Practices
Practices integral to the provision of laboratory medicine services that increase the probability of beneficial patient outcomes, considering scientific evidence and, when needed, expert opinion that support the Institute of Medicine quality domains (safety, effectiveness, efficiency, equitable, timeliness, and patient-centeredness).

Body of Evidence
Complete set of studies that meet the inclusion and study quality criteria for an LMBP systematic review.

Comparative Effectiveness
Is the comparison of healthcare interventions to determine which work best for which patients and which pose the greatest benefits and harms.

Evidence-based Laboratory Medicine
Involves the review and evaluation of all the evidence on a particular topic (not just the evidence found in a few papers published in large easy to find journals) in making decisions about what practices and or diagnostic tests should be employed to improve patient care and health outcomes.

Evidence of Effectiveness
Demonstrates what works for decisions about the care of individual patients or public health interventions to the extent which a specific intervention (or test or practice) does what it is intended to do with respect to measurable outcomes.

Laboratory Tests
Any test or examination of materials derived from the human body for the purpose of making patient care decisions and improving public health.

Systematic Evidence Review
A scientific process to create and evaluate a body of evidence by locating, synthesizing and evaluating available information using specific criteria to produce a summary of available information on a topic.