A Simulated Patient Protocol for Implementing Evidence-Based Practices in Health Care Delivery

Area of Science:

• Healthcare delivery science
• Clinical practice innovation
• Patient safety research

Background:

• Evidence-based practices (EBPs) face challenges with clinician implementation in healthcare.
• Developing effective implementation strategies is crucial for successful EBP adoption.
• This study explores simulated patient (SP) methodology to improve EBP implementation.

Approach:

• Observed 12 primary care clinicians using decision-making algorithms for long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) patients.
• Utilized simulated patients portraying concerning behaviors associated with LTOT.
• Conducted post-simulation interviews guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR).

Key Points:

• SP role-playing realistically depicted patients with concerning behaviors related to LTOT.
• Clinicians noted potential differences between SP portrayals and real-world patient assertiveness.
• The SP methodology effectively identified key factors for implementation bundles.

Conclusions:

• SP simulation offers valuable insights for refining EBP implementation strategies.
• This method aids in identifying best practices for adopting new EBPs, especially for high-risk populations.
• The approach enhances the effectiveness, sustainability, and reproducibility of EBPs.