Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation (Volume 3: Implementation Issues)

Abstract

Traditionally, a primary focus of patient safety research has been to analyze data to identify problems and demonstrate that a new practice will lead to improved quality or safety. Much less research attention has been paid to the details of actually implementing the new practices. This volume begins to remedy that shortcoming.Implementation issues are, in a sense, “where it's at” for patient safety. Only by putting into practice what we learn in our research will we make care safer. However, it turns out to be very, very difficult. The challenge is threefold: 1) What is the right thing to do? Which practices improve safety? What is the evidence? 2) How do we do the right thing? What changes in our procedures and systems are needed to implement the new practice? 3) How do we make sure that the right thing is done 100 percent of the time? What is required to ensure full compliance of all parties, every time, without fail?This volume focuses on the second step, implementation: how do we change our care patterns to incorporate a new practice? The third challenge, getting to full compliance, is left for another day.