When developing best practices in an agency, an important step is to look at what current practices are in place. Assessing current practices and how they work or don’t work is crucial to the creation and implementation of best practices.
Key elements to assess current agency “usual” practices and begin to develop best practice
- Identify agency’s most common chronic patient population
- Investigate recognized websites for review of evidence-based practices (EBP) guidelines vs. current practice
- Assess current patient/family self-management education for best practice upgrades
- Review current outcome measurements and areas needing improvement
- Examine current referral sources and discuss collaboration opportunities for buy-in and commitment
- Design feedback loop and reporting process for referral source communication and input
- Investigate utilization of technology needs
This information was adapted from Beacon Health’s audio conference series, OASIS-C Process Measures: Best Practice Strategies that Reduce Risk. The third session was devoted to Falls, Footcare, Flu, and Heart Failure and was presented by Laurie Salmons, RN, BSN.
For more information about the remaining session Depression, Pain and High-risk Medications, click here.
March 25th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Have there been any guidelines developed to assist an agency with developing the parameters for vital signs? Since our population of patients have such wide ranges of ‘normal’ for them, and physicians aren’t always willing to give the prescribed parameters, we don’t want to set our staff up for calling too frequently to the MD’s offices.