New research published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA) aimed to answer how evidence-based practices (EBPs) are implemented into long-term care (LTC) settings while also focusing on identifying factors that promote adoption and sustainability by facilities and frontline health care staff.
Investigators looked at three databases which revealed all new interventions fell under the Coordination of Care and Management of Care Processes category within the Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) taxonomy, targeting frontline health care staff for implementation.
Several barriers to successful implementation included:
Facilitators that were viewed positively included:
“Structured implementation strategies can help enhance the uptake of evidence-based interventions and improve quality of care in long-term facilities,” said Dr. Hilaire J. Thompson, study author & HIPRC Core faculty member. Having effective communication strategies and tailored education, adjusted to the training and experience levels of staff, were crucial for the successful adoption and sustainability of new EBPs in LTC settings.
Funding for this work was supported, in part, by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (1R49CE003087).
Researchers on this study represent the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Rhode Island; Behavioral Nursing & Health Informatics at the University of Washington School of Nursing; and the Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center.