There are a wide range of resources and types of information you can access to learn about different heath issues and medical conditions. 

Different types of information - from primary research studies, to synopsis of studies, systematic reviews and clinical guides - are often referred to as a Hierarchy of Evidence.   

In this guide, we introduce clincial practice resources that aim to synthesize the latest research evidence on health and medical conditions in ways that can used by health professionals to guide their decision making in regards to diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and prognosis.

There are two major types of clincial practice resources: 

• Clinical Evidence Summaries provide a concise summary overview of available evidence on a clinical topic to inform decision making. 
• Clinical Evidence Guidelines have detailed information on the management of a specific condition, or application of a particular treatment. 

Clinical Practice resources are often developed by or in partnership with professional health associations or networks, such as government hosptials or specialist areas of medical practice such as General Practioners, Diabetes or Autism spcialisations. 

Some of these critical appraisals and synthesize of evidence have been developed into highly curated clincial practice databases that hospitals and university libraries subscribe to in order to provide access to students and health researchers. 

See our Finding CP Guidelines Tab for further information. 

Figure from: Vassalotti, JA. The cycle of development, publication and implementation of clinical practice guidelines for CKD. Kidney International (2012) 81, 1159–1161. doi:10.1038/ki.2012.34 (All rights reserved)

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