ASHA/N-CEP Evidence-Based Systematic Reviews and Clinical Practice Guidelines

ASHA's National Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders (N-CEP) works with ASHA members to conduct numerous evidence-based systematic reviews (EBSRs) and clinical practice guidelines. Systematic reviews form the basis for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. EBSRs are formal assessments of the body of scientific evidence related to a clinical question, and describe the extent to which various diagnostic or treatment approaches are supported by the evidence, but stop short of making specific recommendations for clinical practice that are typically found in guidelines.

EBSRs and clinical practice guidelines are useful in helping clinicians make treatment decisions in that, when done properly, they have pulled together and in a systematic way characterized the available evidence on a clinical question. These reviews and guidelines can be an important and time-saving resource for clinicians wishing to incorporate evidence into their clinical decision-making. Below are the EBSRs and clinical practice guidelines that have been completed by N-CEP.