Annual Report 1998

The First Menzies Alumni Symposium
Evidence-Based Health Advice Workshop

Background

At its Board meeting in December 1997, the Menzies Foundation endorsed a proposal by the Menzies Memorial Scholars Alumni Association to hold an annual symposium led by a former Menzies Scholar. This workshop, developed by Professor Chris Silagy, is the first Menzies Alumni Symposium and was held at Clarendon Terrace on 4-5 November 1998 as a joint initiative with the Health Advisory Committee of the NH MRC.

Professor Chris Silagy
Objectives

The broad objectives of the workshop were as follows:

Dr David Hill, Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria and Dr David Pencheon, Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK

* to define the current state of the art and potential implications and influence of an evidence-based approach to health care in Australia from different perspectives (including health care professionals, consumers, health policy makers, researchers and funding agencies);
* to identify the barriers to implementation and application of evidence-based approaches to health care in the Australian health care system, and explore potential strategies for overcoming these;
* to identify the legal, ethical and policy issues arising from an evidence-based approach to the health care system; and
* to develop a framework for incorporating an evidence-based approach within the Australian health care system into the next millennium.

The principal task of the workshop was to produce a reference publication. The proceedings of the workshop are now available on CD-ROM and via the Internet.

Recommendations

The 60 invited participants at this meeting contributed to the development of the following recommendations which will be considered and further developed by the Health Advisory Committee.

* Recognise that systematic reviews underpin evidence-based health care. They should be required for all future health care related research. The science of systematic reviews should be accepted as a legitimate form of research and developed to include a wide range of scientific evidence. Reviews should be eligible for research funding support, recognition towards research performance assessment and for accreditation towards postgraduate training.
* Identify and overcome factors that hinder the generation, transfer and implementation of research knowledge in clinical practice. Establish mechanisms and funding for ongoing communication and structural collaboration among groups involved in this area in Australia and overseas.
* Encourage the use of evidence based approaches in areas outside clinical practice including the development of health policy, public health policy and practice and health related litigation.