Definition of Evidence-based Practice and Quadruple Aim
Evidence-based Practice (EBP) refers to providing effective and efficient care founded on the best accessible evidence to improve treatment outcomes. The Quadruple Aim is a structure created to assist health institutions in advancing population health, reducing healthcare per capita expenditure, and improving patient and health provider experience (Valaitis et al., 2020). The quadruple aim is designed to apply EBP to attain its goals. Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2022) show that EBP enhances healthcare safety and quality, reduces expenditure, and enables healthcare professionals to work freely and feel engaged.
Patient Experience
The initial objective of the quadruple aim is to improve the patient experience. EBP approaches positively impacts patients’ perception concerning their treatment leading to improved satisfaction levels. When clinicians identify best treatment practices, they incorporate patients’ experiences and values into decision-making processes (Connor et al., 2023). By empowering providers to evaluate and find optimal solutions, EBP cuts treatment costs and facilitates a transparent and collaborative environment, which promotes accountability, and alleviates patient stress. For example, the EBP requires providers to change their protective equipment and clean contact surfaces and hands when handling new patients. Such measures minimize the transmission of opportunistic infections and medical errors, improving patient outcomes.
Population Health
The second objective of the quadruple aim is to advance population health. EBP introduces elaborate procedures for reducing disease burden and improving population health. The processes include the application of intervention evidence, biodata on disease burden, community assessments, and population risk elements for healthcare managers and caregivers to set priorities and design practical strategies (Escoffery et al., 2019). It also increases access to high-quality knowledge on best practices, successful prevention policies and programs, appropriate resources, and a workforce. It guides in selecting programs that meet the needs, preferences, and expectations of the community through regular meetings and surveys. EBP enables the economical use of scarce resources by availing evidence on the exact resource level required for successful program implementation. For instance, EBP supports public health initiatives, including vaccination, to prevent infectious diseases.
Healthcare Costs
High healthcare expenditure forms a notable barrier to providing high-quality healthcare. EBP is critical in improving the quality of treatment services while reducing costs. Providers engaging in interventions centered on EBP minimize nonessential treatment procedures while maintaining patient satisfaction in their facilities and reducing readmissions. For instance, it leads to efficient laboratory use by eliminating repetitive laboratory tests, resulting in lower overall costs (Portney, 2020). EBP can help practitioners evaluate available alternative drugs that are equally effective but differ in cost. The evaluation is instrumental in managing diseases such as cancer, where patients need efficacious but low-cost medications. Applying evidence in treatment is likely to reduce cases of medical errors that can result in expensive lawsuits and financial loss from health institutions.
Healthcare Providers Work life
EBP improves provider satisfaction in different ways. For instance, it fosters interprofessional collaboration that empowers health workers, improves their decision-making skills, and contributes to patient treatment. EBP enables clinicians to create single practical treatment plans and schedules, which help reduce workload and fatigue. Evidence-based interventions will likely improve treatment outcomes (Li et al., 2019). Improved patient satisfaction boosts the confidence and morale of healthcare workers. Medical professionals apply EBP to reduce risks of infection to the patients and themselves, thus maintaining optimum physical and mental health. The practice also reduces medical errors that can lead to lawsuits against health workers. Lawsuits are detrimental to the professional’s status, financial well-being, and overall experience.
References
Connor, L., Dean, J., McNett, M., Tydings, D. M., Shrout, A., Gorsuch, P. F., … & Gallagher‐Ford, L. (2023). Evidence‐based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 20(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621
Escoffery, C., Lebow-Skelley, E., Udelson, H., Böing, E. A., Wood, R., Fernandez, M. E., & Mullen, P. D. (2019). A scoping study of frameworks for adapting public health evidence-based interventions. Translational behavioral medicine, 9(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibx067
Li, S., Cao, M., & Zhu, X. (2019). Evidence-based practice: Knowledge, attitudes, implementation, facilitators, and barriers among community nurses—a systematic review. Medicine, 98(39). https://doi.org/10.1097%2FMD.0000000000017209
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2022). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Portney, L. G. (2020). Foundations of clinical research: applications to evidence-based practice. FA Davis.
Valaitis, R. K., Wong, S. T., MacDonald, M., Martin-Misener, R., O’Mara, L., Meagher-Stewart, D., … & Savage, R. (2020). Addressing quadruple aims through primary care and public health collaboration: ten Canadian case studies. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08610-y
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