Is clinical service development simply applied evidence-based medicine? A focus group study

Abstract

Aims and MethodOur aim was to determine the role of evidence and other factors in specialist service development in liaison psychiatry. We held two focus groups with liaison psychiatry practitioners working in different services throughout Europe. A topic schedule focused the discussions, which were taped and transcribed. We used content analysis to identify the role of evidence and other factors that had hindered or facilitated service development.ResultsOur content analysis revealed two factors relating to evidence and 25 other barriers and facilitators of service development, which we grouped into national factors and factors related to local services.Clinical ImplicationsEvidence appears to have some impact on service development but many other factors are influential. Clinical service development cannot be understood simply as emerging in response to research evidence.