Making evidence fit for purpose in decision making: a case study of the hospital discharge of older people

Abstract

As a conclusion to this special edition, this article explores discussions at the final seminar in the series. Focusing on a case study topic (hospital discharge), participants were provided with six sources of evidence chosen to illustrate six very different approaches to generating valid knowledge. Participants then explored a series of questions about each (including reliability/validity, key limitations and contributions to new knowledge). Overall, none of the sources was felt to offer a definitive insight into the issue at stake. A key challenge, therefore, is to design deliberative processes to synthesise and integrate evidence of different types and from multiple sources.