Translating Evidence Into Practice Data

Translating Evidence Into Practice

Data is an essential force in the business and medical world. When running a hospital, the only way to obtain data on techniques for better serving patients is through trying new things and obtaining feedback from patients. While any studies involving biomedical and behavior research are meant to be monitored by the IRB, there seems to be many basic business studies that do no necessarily need monitoring.

One such "study" that I witnessed at a hospital was an attempt to improve the nutrition meal options from the cafeteria. A new menu was created after consulting with the cooks and a nutritionist. The menu gave more options than previously offered including heart healthy and vegetarian options. The new menu was placed in half the patient rooms, whereas the old way of ordering and selecting was offered to the other half of the patients. Nurses were instructed to carefully log the amount of food eaten at each meal and every patient was asked to fill out a survey at the end of their stay about the food. After collecting data for 2 weeks it was concluded that the new menu received improved quality scores and patients ate more of the food.

The hospital did not seek IRB approval for this change nor do I think it was warranted. In fact, this type of research falls under an IRB exemption which does not require approval of taste and food quality evaluation. I agree that quality control research should not require monitoring, as the measures do not directly hinder patient healing and overall care, but rather serve to improve the hospital's ability to become more patient centered.

Melissa a. Fitzpatrick (2012, 8 February). Using data to drive performance improvement in hospitals: real improvements in patient care, financial performance and efficiency will stem from the use of evidence-based approaches. Health Management Technology. Accessed 08 Feb, 2012 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DUD/is_12_27/ai_n17165803/pg_4/?tag=content;col1

Part 2

Quality improvement research enables hospitals and doctors a means of maximize their services and ensuring that the patients receive the utmost care. A difficult area for doctors to find a solution was the area of compliance. Many patients fail to accept a physician's advice and their illness continues resulting in repeat hospitalizations and further injury to the patient.

In a study conducted in 1976, concerned physicians wanted to find a means of getting patients to better cooperate with their recommended treatment options. Prior to the study, less than half of the hospital's patients followed their doctor's advice and took their medication as prescribed. The one group that was most notorious for this was high blood pressure patients. So, this was the group that the study targeted and tried to improve the outcome of.