The Use of Evidence-Based Practices in Speech Pathology

Speech-language pathologists and audiologists are faced daily with decisions regarding the selection of appropriate and effective treatment strategies for their clients. The American Speech-Language Hearing Association promotes the position that professionals provide the highest level of services by using the evidence-based practice (EBP) in their clinical decision making. University programs in communication sciences and disorders are teaching EBP to students who will be joining the ranks of professionals soon. These individuals are taught both the theory and application of EBP in their academic and clinical experiences. The goal is for these students to maintain their commitment to using EBP when they graduate and are on the job.

Implementing evidence-based practice can seem like an overwhelming task. However, to provide the best possible services to clients, speech-language pathologists and audiologists are ethically obligated to thoroughly research the effects of planned intervention techniques. Finding and evaluating research can be time-consuming, but using the resources provided by ASHA and other organizations can decrease the amount of time clinicians spend searching through articles, and increase the amount of time the spend implementing effective therapy with clients.

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