cover story
cover story
Implementation in Healthcare : Boosting Compliance by Promoting Uptake of Evidence-Based Principles and Practices
By Kelly M . Pyrek
Implementation science , viewed through the lens of infection prevention and control , can boost compliance , and is a viable approach for improving outcomes . At its essence , it focuses on factors that promote the systematic uptake of research findings and implementation of evidence-based practices into routine care .
Using broad behavioral and socio-adaptive concepts can help deliver high-quality care , says a new SHEA / IDSA / APIC practice recommendation , Implementing Strategies to Prevent Infections in Acute-care Settings , which introduces and explains common implementation concepts and frameworks relevant to healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention and control .
Joshua Schaffzin , MD , a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Children ’ s Hospital of Eastern Ontario , in Ottawa , Ontario , Canada , and co-author of the SHEA / IDSA / APIC practice recommendation , says infection prevention and control teams , healthcare epidemiologists , infection preventionists , and specialty groups may address the challenges at hand through strategies for implementation such as identifying determinants of adherence and proper measures and utilizing frameworks such as the 4Es , CUSP , and others that are a good fit for the institution .
Implementation Science in Healthcare
Eccles and Mittman ( 2006 ) define implementation science as “ the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and other evidence-based practices into routine practice .”
As Geerligs , et al . ( 2018 ) observe , “ Health service interventions that are effectively implemented are associated with improved patient and staff outcomes and increased cost-effectiveness of care . However , despite sound theoretical basis and empirical support , many interventions do not produce real-world change , as few are successfully implemented , and fewer still are sustained long-term . The ramifications of failed implementation efforts can be serious and far-reaching ; the additional workload required by implementation efforts can add significant staff burden , which can reduce the quality of patient care and may even impact treatment efficacy if interventions disrupt workflow . Additionally , staff who bear the burden of implementing new interventions may be reluctant to try alternatives if their first experience was unsuccessful . A thorough understanding of the barriers and facilitators to implementation , as well as an ongoing assessment of the process of implementation , is therefore crucial to increase
12 september 2023 • www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com