Evidence-based medicine has inspired what is referred to as "evidence-based design" (EvBD) in the field of architecture. Design may have an affect on health care and health status outcomes, performance and processes. Evidence-based design incorporates valid and useful scientific evidence that has been systematically obtained and critically appraised, to help determine that and should be characterized by applying transparent processes and judicious crafting of conclusions, just as should be the case in evidence-based medicine. (Read our opinion on the hallmarks of an evidence-based practice here.) Evidence-based design utilizes valid and appropriate methods for measuring outcomes.

An evolving area, EvBD is in its infancy. Medical architects, professors, marketers and others from Seattle-based NBBJ, a leading architectural firm, were interested in learning principles of evidence-based practice and engaged Delfini to provide training and consultation in October 2006. Of key interest is how EvBD in a health care environment can create improvements in areas such as health status outcomes, health care outcomes, patient and provider satisfaction, efficiency and more.

Want to know more?

• Understand why most evidence-based design is not truly evidence-based.
• Learn what it means to be evidence-based and how to perform the 5 "A"s of evidence-based practice —
  • Ask (search)
  • Acquire (filter to obtain potentially useful articles)
  • Appraise (critically evaluate studies and other information)
  • Apply (project impacts of change and implement change)
  • Again… (update evidence-based information)

We are dedicated trainers in evidence-based practice and clinical quality improvement methods. We are routinely hired by some of the best and largest medical care systems in the country to help them improve the medical care they provide. Our combination of expertise and experiences make us ideally suited to train design professionals in EvBD. We are considered highly accomplished teachers, routinely receiving exceptionally high marks and many testimonials for our work. We focus on skill-building, confidence-building and practicality in our workshops.

Michael E. Stuart MD
Prior to starting Delfini, Dr. Michael Stuart – who has been praised as the “father of evidence-based medicine” at the prestigious Group Health Cooperative, nationally recognized for its high quality care – operationalized evidence-based medicine during his nearly 30 year tenure there. Work under his leadership has received the highest praise from some of the most distinguished leaders in medicine. Evidence-based treatment guidelines created under his direction have been licensed by such places as the US Navy and the Health Ministry of New Zealand.

Sheri Ann Strite
Sheri Strite is proof-positive that people with no formal training in health care can learn the principles of evidence-based medicine. An associate director in Family and Preventive Medicine at the prestigious UCSD Department of Family and Preventive Medicine in the School of Medicine, Sheri was invited to serve with the faculty as a result of her work in evidence-based medicine teaching. She has partnered with Dr. Stuart to create highly simplified, learnable methods and tools to help others evaluate medical studies – work which has received high praise around the country.

We can rapidly teach you, your support staff and your expert witnesses the key principles used to determine study validity and usefulness