The art and science of clinical knowledge: evidence beyond measures and numbers

Medical doctors claim that their discipline is founded on scientific knowle dge. Yet, although the ideas of evidence based medicine are widely accepted , clinical decisions and methods of patient care are based on much more tha n just the results of controlled experiments. Clinical knowledge consists o f interpretive action and interaction-factors that involve communication, o pinions, and experiences. The traditional quantitative research methods rep resent a confined access to clinical knowing, since they incorporate only q uestions and phenomena that can be controlled, measured, and counted. The t acit knowing of an experienced practitioner should also be investigated, sh ared, and contested. Qualitative research methods are strategies for the sy stematic collection, organisation, and interpretation of textual material o btained from talk or observation, which allow the exploration of social eve nts as experienced by individuals in their natural context. Qualitative inq uiry could contribute to a broader understanding of medical science.