Decision-making by health purchasing organisations in Scotland: The role and influence of evidence from the research literature

Evidence-based health care is currently receiving much attention in the health service. The movement is of particular interest to health information professionals, as it is a chance for them to show their skills and achieve credibility after years in the wilderness. However, to what extent is managers' use of research findings in the purchasing and provision of health care merely so much rhetoric? The research reported here is the first phase of a study which aims to look at the impact of the Scottish Health Purchasing Information Centre (SHPIC) in providing information intended to change purchasing and providing behaviour. This phase of the project involved a survey of Scottish purchasers, which examined use of evidence from research in making purchasing decisions. Findings from the study seem to indicate that, although most are aware of the movement towards evidence-based health care and agree with its ethos, there are several very real barriers to change.