Achieving a Shared Baseline: Implementing Evidence Based Clinical Practices

Session
Clinical Performance Improvement

Authors
Twila Burdick
VP, Organizational Performance
Banner Health

Jim Elco
Project Manager
Banner Health

Lorri Sexton
Project Manager
Banner Health

Description
To translate evidence into consistent clinical practices across a multi-hospital system, a three step implementation process is being used: Define the practice and get appropriate approvals Design how it will be performed in paper-based and automated environments Implement using project management techniques Process, results, and lessons learned are discussed.

Abstract
Banner Health, a regional healthcare provider, is committed to providing consistently excellent patient care across its 20 hospitals using evidence based practices. Translating evidence into practice is challenging work; research has identified a 17 year time lag (Balas & Boren 2000).

To reduce this time, Banner developed a process for implementing evidence based practices called Achieving a Shared Baseline. The process has three steps: Define the practice Design how it will be performed Implement using project management techniques.

Based on Banners systemwide collaborative model, multidisciplinary teams define standardized clinical practices based on evidence. With appropriate approvals, an Implementation Work Group designs how the new clinical practice fits into existing workflows and how it will be hardwired in both paper-based and automated environments as Banner is implementing an electronic medical record. Implementation project plans and supporting tools are included in an Implementation Toolkit. During the Implementation Phase, facility project leads, selected by their Chief Medical and Nursing Officers, meet regularly with system project managers regarding progress and issues. A change request process is included. Accountability for monitoring progress and outcomes is done by facility and system leadership.

This presentation will describe the Banner experience, including lessons learned and results achieved.