Innovations in patient care: changing clinical practice and improving quality

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Innovation
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Traditional hospital structures create a divide between administrative resource allocation and clinical decision-making.
• Effective healthcare delivery necessitates a strong partnership between clinicians and hospital management to balance care quality and cost control.
• The Innovations in Patient Care (IPC) program at Strong Memorial Hospital, established in 1986, serves as a model for fostering this essential collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Innovations in Patient Care (IPC) program in improving patient care.
• To demonstrate how clinician-led initiatives can enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare services.
• To showcase the successful implementation of a collaborative model between clinical staff and hospital administration.

Main Methods:

• The IPC program allocates hospital operating revenues to fund clinical staff proposals for innovative projects.
• Projects focus on enhancing patient care quality and optimizing the use of diagnostic and therapeutic services.
• Case studies include the development of condition-specific quicksheets, implementation of a nursing case management model, and testing of head ultrasound guidelines for neonates.

Main Results:

• Funded projects have led to significant changes in clinical practice.
• Specific studies demonstrated improved documentation, reduced patient length of stay, increased nurse satisfaction, and refined screening protocols for intraventricular hemorrhage.
• The program has supported 77 projects to date, indicating broad engagement and impact.

Conclusions:

• Innovations in Patient Care (IPC) programs effectively integrate with total quality management initiatives.
• These programs serve as a powerful mechanism for driving clinical practice change.
• IPC programs demonstrably improve both the quality and efficiency of patient care.