ASHA Focused Initiatives

Evidence-Based Practice

4^th Quarter Progress Report (October-December)

Facilitating Team Member Responsible For Work Plan: Margaret Rogers, Chief Staff Officer for Research and Technology

Issue: A high quality basic, applied, and efficacy research base in communication sciences and disorders, related fields of study, and related functions for the discipline and professions is essential to provide evidence-based clinical practice and quality clinical services.

Outcome 1: Increased knowledge of the availability and use of treatment efficacy and other research and the principles of evidence-based practices to provide clinical services in communication sciences and disorders in the United States.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Director of the National Center for Evidence-Based Practice (N-CEP) will have participated in two face-to-face meetings of the Advisory Committee on Evidence-Based Practice. The meetings will address development of levels-of-evidence systems for diagnostic and for qualitative studies, as well as development of curriculum resources for the teaching of evidence-based practice in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) graduate programs. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP in collaboration with the Academic Affairs team will have developed the first draft of a set of curriculum resources related to evidence-based practice for dissemination to academic programs in CSD. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have promoted the availability of evidence-based practice information on the ASHA Web site and in other documents via ASHA communication vehicles. [Completed]
4. By December 31, 2007, the Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology team and the National Joint Committee on the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities will plan a conference related to evidence-based practices related to serving individuals with severe communication disabilities, pending NIH funding. [Completed]
5. By December 31, 2007, the ASHA Professional Development unit and the Scientific and Professional Education Board (SPEB) will have developed continuing education/professional development activities related to evidence-based practices and the evidence base for clinical interventions discussed. [Completed]

Outcome 2: Increased funding for basic/applied/efficacy/evidence-based research.

Strategies

1. By October 1, 2007, the Director of N-CEP and N-CEP's Clinical Trials Project Manager in collaboration with the Communication Sciences and Disorders Research Group, the Research and Scientific Affairs Committee, and SPEB, will have convened a meeting to support the development of applications for funding of research in clinical areas identified as ASHA priorities. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Governmental Relations and Public Policy (GRPP) staff, pending the availability of identified ASHA research priorities, will have developed a plan to secure funding for high-priority research needs in the area of CSD. [Carry-Over to 2008]

Outcome 3: Increased applied/efficacy research and evidence-based clinical practice in all areas of communication sciences and disorders, including literacy, communication wellness, and prevention.

Strategies

1. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have updated and maintained a Web forum for connecting researchers and clinicians interested in collaborative research projects. [Completed]
2. By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have updated, maintained, and promoted the ASHA Web site's searchable registry of evidence-based practice guidelines and systematic reviews related to CSD. [Completed]
3. By December 31, 2007, the Director and staff of N-CEP will have completed six Evidence-Based Systematic Reviews. [Carry-Over to 2008]

Outcome 4: Increased interaction and communication with researchers in communication sciences and disorders from other countries.

Strategy

• By December 31, 2007, the Director of N-CEP will have participated in the colloquia of the Campbell Collaboration and Cochrane Collaboration. The Campbell Colloquium is the major global evidence-based practice meeting related to schools issues, while the Cochrane Colloquium is the major evidence-based practice meeting related to health care issues. [Eliminated]

There are 11 strategies in the Evidence-Based Practice work plan. Following is the status for the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th quarters.