the numbers .’ That expert must also turn those numbers into meaningful reports that people could then use , which can be challenging because people often don ’ t share the same mindset , such as infection preventionists or other stakeholders trying to use data to drive process improvements . We hear the saying , ‘ Garbage in , garbage out ,’ so it ’ s critical to validate data and make it meaningful to practice in the healthcare environment . Put good stuff in , you ’ ll get good stuff out .”
Schaffzin suggests that choosing a project can align with institutional goals . “ In our paper we suggest that a good starting point is often identifying the need to adhere to a guideline , such as preoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis or something else that is measured by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ( CMS ). If you think about antimicrobial prophylaxis , which is ensuring the right drug is ordered at the right time , ensuring that it ’ s given , ensuring that the dose is documented – much of that involves the use of electronic medical records ( EMRs ), so an implementation project could be created around personnel ’ s interaction with EMRs , the usability and the interface and how that works .”
Who best to put an implementation science project together ? Experts agree that some candidates may take to the task more easily than others .
Pettis notes , “ I think infection preventionists and epidemiologists becoming familiar with the seven frameworks that we included in the implementation document is a good place to start , then doing a risk assessment to determine which of those approaches would be most suitable to your organization and the issue being addressed . Implementation of best practices must be a ‘ team sport ’ because an IP or epidemiologist can ’ t do it alone . All stakeholders must be involved and engaged . When it comes to creating an implementation plan , I have found it imperative for IPs to work closely with their quality program , nursing leaders , medicine and the C-suite . Once representatives from those areas are on board , it is critical to incorporate staff champions .”
Schaffzin also recommends a multi-disciplinary team , for best results .
“ Because context is so important and because understanding all aspects of the problem is challenging for just one individual , I think implementation is team effort , just like everything else is ,” he says . “ The best way to approach it is creating a diverse team with multiple viewpoints and varied expertise , with clear leadership fostering the ability for team members to listen through the context of psychological safety to help people feel comfortable being vulnerable and speaking up , and then formulate a plan for improvement through implementation science theory .”
Schaffzin continues , “ Why are healthcare epidemiologists and infection preventionists especially well-suited to become leaders in this type of work ? One reason is their ability to appreciate a system , and another is their connection to every department and nearly every level of an institution . No process involves one person doing one thing — it ’ s not done in a void , it ’ s about the entire process . For example , supply chain disruptions during the pandemic meant bedside providers didn ’ t have the right