Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim
Title: Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim
EBP and the Quadruple Aim
The deployment of evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions as a problem-mitigation strategy to enhance quality of care is founded on utilization of best research findings, patient preferences and values, and clinician’s abilities to make decisions on patient care (Beckett & Melnyk, 2018). On its part, the four-thronged Quadruple Aim framework has four primary goals that include improving patient outcomes, population health, reducing the cost of care and improving the welfare of healthcare providers. The framework attains these goals through redesigning healthcare facilities (Bowles et al., 2018).As such, this paper discusses the relationship between EBP and Quadruple Aim framework and addresses the impact of EBP on four goals of the framework
Association Between EBP and Quadruple Aim
The establishment and deployment of EBP by healthcare providers is focused on enhancing the quality of care services that patients get by integrating their preferences and values in clinical settings. EBP is patient-centered approach that implores providers to leverage best evidence from research studies and incorporate their clinical expertise to improve overall care delivery and patient experience (Jacobs et al., 2018). As such, EBP is highly connected to the Quadruple Aim since healthcare providers can only attain better outcomes when they focus on patients’ preferences and values while ensuring that they possess efficient skills to deliver quality care (Bowles et al., 2018). Healthcare systems and organizations’ primary purpose is to ensure that the life of patients and that of their staff or providers is enhanced to achieve their goals and objectives. The implication is that there is a strong association between EBP model and the Quadruple Aim in healthcare provision.
Patient Experience
The EBP core aspect is translation of research findings into clinical practice to enhance patient care. Through effective deployment of research evidence in their practice, healthcare providers like nurses and physicians can improve the quality of care services that patients receive leading to better patient experiences (Beckett & Melnyk, 2018). The implication is that healthcare facilities are increasing leveraging EBP interventions to improve clinical outcomes and enhance experience for patients and the health populations they serve.
Population Health
Evidence-based practices aim at educating health populations concerning aspects like social determinants of health, benefits and limitations of certain interventions, and effects of embracing cultural competence by healthcare providers. Through the integration of EBP in clinical practice, providers purpose to attain equity in resource distribution to attain set healthcare goals (Crabtree et al., 2016). As such, EBP interventions focus on addressing individuals needs which affect the overall population health as they adopt best practices in primary care to enhance their quality of life.
Costs
Healthcare costs drive strategic decisions from all levels of care provision, right from individuals to even federal government level. Strategies to improve care efficiency and effectiveness live value-based models are founded through the implementation of EBP in clinical settings. EBP reduces cost of care by assisting the attainment of six aspects of healthcare quality that include timelines, safety, patient-centeredness, efficiency and equity as well as effectiveness (Kim et al., 2016). The implication EBP interventions help to lower the cost of healthcare by providing a foundation for getting the required resources in clinical practice.
Enhancing the Work-Life of Healthcare Providers
EBP was the foundation of attaining the Triple Aim goals. Now, with the addition of a fourth goal on this framework, providers and entities are leveraging it to enhance the work-life balance among healthcare workers. EBP supports the creation of a culture and environment that allows providers to thrive and collaborate by integrating their expertise in patient care (Bowles et al., 2018). Providers can use EBP interventions to counter possible burnouts. Using EBP in delivering care leads to better patient outcomes which translate to improved work-life balance of the providers.
Conclusion
It is evident that EBP is an essential aspect of attaining better healthcare outcomes and helping providers to make care decisions and use interventions that meet the Quadruple Aims framework. Providers, especially nurses, have a duty to support the implementation of EBP to enhance care provision for their patients.
References
Beckett, C. D., & Melnyk, B. M. (2018). Evidence‐Based Practice Competencies and the New
EBP‐C Credential: Keys to Achieving the Quadruple Aim in Health Care.Worldview Evidence-Based Nursing, 15(6):412-413. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12335
Bowles, J. R., Adams, J. M., Batcheller, J., Zimmermann, D., & Pappas, S. (2018). The role of
the nurse leader in advancing the Quadruple Aim. Nurse Leader, 16(4), 244-248.
https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000342.
Crabtree, E., Brennan, E., Davis, A., & Coyle, A. (2016). Improving patient care through nursing
engagement in evidence-based practice. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 13(2),
172–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12126
Jacobs, B., McGovern, J., Heinmiller, J., & Drenkard, K. (2018). Engaging employees in well-
being: moving from the triple aim to the quadruple aim. Nursing administration quarterly, 42(3), 231-245. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000303.
Kim, S. C., Stichler, J. F., Ecoff, L., Brown, C. E., Gallo, A.-M., & Davidson, J. E. (2016).
Predictors of evidence-based practice implementation, job satisfaction, and group
cohesion among regional fellowship program participants. Worldviews on Evidence-
Based Nursing, 13(5), 340–348. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12171
Sample Answer for Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim Included
The healthcare organization website I have chosen is American Heart Association (AHA), which focuses on heart attacks and strokes. Its mission is “to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives” (AHA, n.d.). This organization was founded by six cardiologists in 1924, and is the oldest and largest organization in the nation that is dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, with over 35 millions volunteers and more than 2900 employees (AHA, n.d.).
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential in nursing to provide a high quality of patient care and improve patient safety. It “prepares [nurses] to frame clinical questions, perform literature searches, analyze and evaluate evidence, and translate that knowledge into something clinically meaningful” (Crabtree et al., 2016). The word “EBP” was not directly mentioned in the website, but I could tell that they use EBP as their strategy for their organization in various places throughout the website. It appears in their about us introduction page, mentioning that heart disease and stroke rank first and second in mortality worldwide, respectively (AHA, n.d.). They’ve invested so much money in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease research for decades that those can be used as EBP to better care for patients. By reviewing their website, I saw that their practices and beliefs are based on EBP research.
The information I found on their website has changed my perception of this organization. When I thought of American Heart Association, it was an organization that I would renew my BLS and ACLS. Knowing they’ve been working hard to prevent and treat mainly stroke and heart disease, using EBP for many years, I happen to take obtaining information while renewing my certificates more seriously and possibly be part of their volunteers. “While it may require a different skill set, research has shown that when providers deliver evidence-based care, patient outcomes are markedly improved” (American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 2018).
American Association of Nurse Practitioners. (2018). Why choose evidence-based practice? http://www.aanp.org/news-feed/why-choose-evidence-based-practice
American Heart Association (AHA). (n.d.). About us. https://www.heart.org/en/about-us
Crabtree, E., Brennan, E., Davis, A., & Coyle, A. (2016). Improving patient care through nursing engagement in evidence-based practice Links to an external site.
Links to an external site.. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 13(2), 172–175. doi:10.1111/wvn.12126
The healthcare organization website that I chose to research is the American Heart Association. The organization’s website for the American Heart Association is filled with evidence-based practice. The mission is, “To be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.” (AHA, n.d). The site is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to how long the organization has been running. The AHA was founded by 6 scientists in 1924. The organization is geared towards combating heart disease and strokes for almost 100 years. It is the nation’s largest and oldest organization voluntarily fighting heart conditions and stroke. (AHA, n.d.)
This organization is grounded by Evidence-based practice. The site provides healthy eating options to aide in one’s cardiac health. The site provides various information regarding all cardiac diseases. Just from visiting the website, you are able to thoroughly research cardiac diseases and what to do to combat each disorder. I never knew that the AHA was so full of helpful information on your heart health. To be quite honest, I never really knew just how much the website provided the public, health information. It did change my perception of the site. The organization website was a wealth of information that I never knew existed for the organization. When thinking of the American Heart Association, the first thing to cross my mind is, CPR certification or recertification. Just taking the time to explore the site has made me aware that this site offers so much assistance with heart health to the public. The Million Heart Collaboration was super interesting to me. Partners collaborate and utilize evidence-based practice to prevent cardiac disease and stroke. It was also neat to see physicians being healthy and the website displaying the data to promote patients to be healthier. According to Million Hearts, “The Challenge is an opportunity for clinicians and practices to demonstrate excellence in hypertension control. Hypertension Control Champions must reach 80% control rates among their hypertensive patients.” There was also a separate link for data and reports. According to Melnyk, Et al, “Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a life-long problem-solving approach to the delivery of health care that integrates the best evidence from well-designed studies (i.e., external evidence) and integrates it with a patient’s preferences and values and a clinician’s expertise, which includes internal evidence gathered from patient data. “ (Melnyk, B., Et al, 2014). It is in my opinion that AHA does just that. They strive to provide the public with the most recent and accurate EBP to aide in the well-being of others.