RESUMEN
Current economic conditions make the practice of equine medicine challenging, to say the least. The downward trend in the US economy has had a huge impact on horse owners and equine veterinarians alike. Horses are expensive to keep; as such, economics are the driving factor in the problem of the unwanted horse. Under these conditions, efficient equine ambulatory practices are well-suited to weather the economic storm. As contributors to this issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America note, one can practice high-quality medicine and surgery without the overhead and expense of a large clinic. Ambulatory practitioners certainly face formidable challenges, but they also have opportunities to establish and secure a good future.
Asunto(s)
Atención Ambulatoria/economía , Enfermedades de los Caballos/terapia , Hospitales Veterinarios/economía , Animales , Costos y Análisis de Costo , Caballos , América del NorteRESUMEN
The use of an evidence-based approach allows veterinary clinicians to assess questions that are clinically relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of equine gastrointestinal tract disease. This approach involves formulating a clinical question, searching the literature, and answering the question with the best available evidence, with the results summarized as a clinical "bottom line." This article is organized to reinforce the principle that the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine is the clinical question. Specific questions are further categorized as to topic, with epidemiologic risk factors, diagnostic process, clinical examination, differential diagnosis, diagnostic tests, treatment, harm, prognosis, and prevention as general themes. The topics covered in this article are by no means exhaustive but give an example of how the veterinary literature can be used to answer clinically important questions in an evidence-based manner.