HOW CAN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE APPROACHES BE USED TO IMPROVE HEALTH CARE OUTCOMES?

Based on your review of the data, you have identified 3 key areas of concern that you would like to address as part of the quality improvement initiative. If not addressed, these areas of concern may affect the organizations accreditation and/or profitability:

• Patients are having to wait for extended periods of time in the emergency room (ER).
• AKT is not implementing effective capacity management strategies for the resources that are currently available.
• There are a high number of readmissions due to patients being discharged too early.

You decide to work with staff and management to develop and implement new policies that are grounded in evidence-based practice (EBP). To communicate the new policies with the staff, you will write a 2-page memo addressing the areas of concern and the new EBP policies that now be in place. In the memo, address the following:

• Discuss the 3 areas of concern and how these can affect accreditation and/or financial status of the organization.
• What is evidence-based practice?
• How can evidence-based practice approaches be used to improve health care outcomes?
• A set of new policies and procedures that includes 2-3 strategies based on EBP approaches for each area of concern that will be effective immediately
• The memo should cite specific examples from the research reviewed regarding EBP approaches to resolving the issues.