POEM stands for Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters. POEMs meet three criteria: they address common questions that physicians face; they measure outcomes that physicians and patients care about (e.g., symptoms, morbidity, quality of life, and mortality); and they have the potential to change practice. See page 1996 for expanded definition.

These POEMs are from InfoRetriever, part of the InfoPOEMs Clinical Awareness System, copyright InfoPOEM, Inc. The complete list of topics is available for subscribers at www.InfoPOEMs.com.

"Tips from Other Journals" are written by the medical editors of American Family Physician.

Copyright © 2002 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
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