Evidence informed practice and claims of efficacy
The International Society of Osteopathic Healthcare is committed to developing and sharing information regarding how osteopathic practice is evidence informed. It is hugely important for public protection that claims for clinical efficacy are backed with a robust evidence framework that brings together researched dynamics and understandings, as well as the critically important clinical experience of t individual practitioners who are applying individualised and nuanced health care tailored to a particular persons individual clinical picture and healthcare needs.
There is not a research ‘answer’ for every individual patient as many have complex needs overlapping / concurrent medical conditions and have a variable lifestyle, personal, environmental, traumatic and work history.
People seeking advice from osteopaths and practitioners using osteopathic approaches in their treatments are wanting to explore possible benefits for them as individuals, but this is very difficult when publicly available information is limited and the research / evidence base is not fully established.
But, in addition to that, people simply want to know more about osteopathy, its concepts, the philosophy, what osteopaths ‘do’ and how do they think about things?
“How would an osteopath approach my problem?”
The ISOHC aims to illustrate a range of osteopathic hypotheses – to share concepts of care perspectives – some of which may not have the same level of evidence as others, and to help people understand what osteopaths are aiming to explore, wanting to research, and wanting themselves to clarify.
Osteopathic hypotheses are not the same as claims of clinical efficacy. Discussing the osteopathic concepts around the care of infants, or pregnant women, or those children with learning delay and difficulties, or those with sports injuries or other healthcare needs does not equate to a claim that ‘all osteopaths treat those conditions’ and that there is ‘high levels of evidence of clinical efficacy’. The information on this website is therefore not to be taken as individual healthcare advice – patients must always seek the advice of a registered practitioner – nor does it imply that there is sufficient evidence to support advertising services to patients.
Instead it seems to illustrate a range of concepts, and to identify the range of evidence in support of those concepts, and to explore how the healthcare services provided by osteopaths and practitioners using osteopathic concepts may be applicable across a range of patients and how practitioners using osteopathic concepts can provide benefit and support within and to the general healthcare systems in their countries of practice. This information is also a way for other healthcare professional s to understand how osteopathic care might be applicable in their speciality, or in their research agenda – to the benefit of all. It also helps to clarify the research needs of the wider ‘osteopathic profession’, for osteopaths and other colleagues to consider pursuing these independently.
The over-riding concern of the ISOHC is to provide information that enables patient choice as well as to guide informed consent and to support the protection of vulnerable people in need seeking health care.
Please use the contact form to make enquiries.