Implementing clinical practice changes: A practical approach

Implementing changes in clinical practice is critical for insuring the highest quality patient care. Ideally, changes in clinical practice should be based upon high-quality research findings or so-called evidence-based medicine. The increase in health care expenditures and data on the variance in clinical practices are exerting external pressures on professionals to justify practice patterns and are now tightly linked to reimbursement. As these factors fuel tensions between quality practice and care on one hand and cost on the other, clinicians must increasingly be prepared to justify the processes and resources used to deliver the required care to produce optimal patient outcomes. Continuously monitoring the clinical literature and implementing clinical practice changes, when a sufficient body of evidence exists, will contribute to improved patient outcomes. This involves three practical steps: (a) examining and evaluating the research, (b) gauging the likelihood of success, and (c) recommending and implementing a clinical practice change.