OVERVIEW

This Institute prepares healthcare providers for an increasing role in evidence-based practice (EBP) to improve quality healthcare through translation of research into practice. Designed for multiple disciplines, this conference builds on the success of the previous three Institutes. The 2005 Institute focuses on “Infusing Quality into Practice” and emphasizes creation of an evidence-based practice environment through partnership and organizational change. Clinicians, educators, researchers, and managers will be equipped with pragmatic, foundational, and intermediate EBP skills, with specific emphasis on strategies for practice improvement, infrastructure and team building, and using EBP resources.

Public accountability is crucial to demonstrate adequate return-on-investment from the more than $250 billion spent on US health research. The Summer Institute on EBP is a direct response to this national call for healthcare providers to bridge research and quality care by preparing our workforce to implement a health system based on what we know to be good quality care.

During the 2 ½ day Institute, noted EBP leaders and experts will present a coordinated, interactive curriculum. Major topics will include urgency of using evidence to improve clinical care, research evidence available for national priority clinical conditions, organizational culture for quality and safety, partnership and infrastructure development, and impact of EBP on selected roles within the health professions (clinician, manager, educator, and researcher).

Special features of the 2005 Institute include:

• NEW! Pre Institute Workshop, The Educator’s EBP Workshop™, “Teaching Evidence-Based Practice and Evidence-Based Teaching”
• NEW! Pre Institute Session for Novices, ” Essential Elements of EBP: An Introduction to EBP”
• Presentations of best practice projects (See Call for Abstracts at www.acestar.uthscsa.edu)
• Graduate, Pre- and Post-Doctoral Coursework (Contact Dr. Kathleen Stevens at acestar@uthscsa.edu for further information)

The program is planned by clinicians, educators, researchers, and administrators from multiple disciplines and from private, VA, and military healthcare agencies and has received repeat funding by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

OBJECTIVES

Participants will have an opportunity to:

• Develop foundations and strategies to infuse evidence-based practice into decision making in one’s own healthcare setting.
• Describe the promise of using evidence to cross the quality chasm in healthcare from professional and lay perspectives.
• Use oversight programs to advance adoption of EBP, including accreditation, licensure, recognition, and certification programs.
• Specify proficiencies needed in expanded healthcare professionals roles to advance evidence-based practice and quality improvement.
• Access, appraise, and rate various forms of evidence such as systematic reviews, clinical practice guidelines, and EBP toolkits, to be used in improving care.
• Use existing (national and local), newly-created resources, and partnerships to integrate evidence-based practice into health care, education, and research.
• Design a plan to evaluate impact of evidence-based practice on patient outcomes in priority health issues..

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The Institute is of particular interest to the following groups:

• All clinicians, nurses, physicians, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists who wish to use evidence in practice
• Researchers who represent the science of the various disciplines
• Educators who prepare nurses, physicians, or pharmacists for implementing quality care
• Administrators and quality managers who shape healthcare services