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Clinical pathway implementation in the acute care hospital setting
1Department of Marketing, Cleveland State University, OH, USA.
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
|December 1, 1996
Summary
Implementing clinical paths for acute care requires addressing documentation, defining discharge outcomes, and managing variances. These core issues are crucial for successful clinical path adoption and patient care improvement.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Informatics
- Quality Improvement
Background:
- Clinical paths are standardized care plans aimed at improving patient outcomes and reducing costs in acute care settings.
- Successful implementation of clinical paths is complex and requires careful attention to specific operational and clinical factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current state of clinical path implementation for acute care patients.
- To identify and analyze key challenges encountered during the implementation of clinical paths, focusing on discharge outcomes and variance measurement.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative assessment approach was used to explore the practical aspects of clinical path implementation.
- The study focused on identifying critical components and potential barriers within the implementation process.
Main Results:
- Documentation practices are a significant factor in clinical path effectiveness.
- Clearly defining critical indicators and desired discharge outcomes is essential for successful implementation.
- Effective variance detection and correction mechanisms are vital for optimizing clinical path performance.
Conclusions:
- Institutions must prioritize robust documentation, precise outcome definition, and systematic variance management for successful clinical path implementation.
- Addressing these core issues can enhance the utility and impact of clinical paths in acute care settings.