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Standards and practice guidelines as the foundation for clinical practice
H L Yoos1, K Malone, A McMullen
1Department of Pediatric Nursing, University of Rochester School of Nursing, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, USA.
Journal of Nursing Care Quality
|June 1, 1997
Summary
Developing clinical practice guidelines is crucial for improving healthcare quality and documenting patient care during rapid changes in health delivery. This article outlines a process for creating and implementing these essential standards.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Clinical Informatics
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Healthcare delivery systems are undergoing significant transformation.
- Professionals across disciplines face pressure to define practice and patient outcomes.
- Standards and clinical practice guidelines are vital for quality improvement and care documentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a systematic process for developing healthcare standards and clinical practice guidelines.
- To present an organizational framework for these guidelines.
- To recommend a system for their implementation and evaluation.
Main Methods:
- Review of recommendations from diverse national groups.
- Development of a standardized format for practice guidelines.
- Proposal of an implementation and evaluation strategy.
Main Results:
- A structured process for guideline development is presented.
- A proposed format for clinical practice guidelines is detailed.
- A system for guideline implementation and ongoing evaluation is recommended.
Conclusions:
- Standardized clinical practice guidelines are essential tools for navigating healthcare changes.
- A systematic approach to development, implementation, and evaluation can enhance healthcare quality.
- Adoption of these guidelines can improve consistency and outcomes in patient care delivery.