Strategies from the Literature for Ethical Evidence-Based Practice NHS FPX 6004 Assessment 2 Policy Proposal

Strategies from the Literature for Ethical Evidence-Based Practice

Integrating Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems and patient education are two effective, ethically grounded, evidence-based strategies to improve the underperformance of foot examinations in diabetic patients. 

Integration of EHR systems

Integrated EHR systems with clinical decision-making tools improve patient outcomes, maintain care coordination, and enhance care continuity. These systems can be utilized by stakeholders (healthcare professionals, administrators, and the quality assurance team) to communicate and exchange patient data (Lessing & Hayman, 2019). Documentation of foot examinations, scheduling appointments, and making holistic decisions about patients’ risk of diabetic neuropathy are three significant jobs these health information technologies can perform, addressing the shortfall and improving the quality of care.

Integrated EHR systems must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations to maintain patients’ privacy and ensure sensitive patient health information security through robust security measures, end-to-end encryption, and access controls (Basil et al., 2022). By complying with HIPAA policy, this strategy adheres to ethical principles of protecting patient privacy and ensuring informed consent while sharing patients’ data within the organization. Moreover, the staff using EHR systems should be trained in cultural competency to address the needs of patients from various cultural backgrounds.

Patient Education

Another evidence-based strategy is engaging patients in their healthcare journey. According to Guy (2022), well-informed and adequately engaged patients are more likely to participate in preventive care for their diabetes. This improves adherence to foot examination appointments, eventually improving the shortfall benchmark. This strategy complies with the national policy of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), stressing preventive care to minimize healthcare costs and reduce hospitalizations (CMS, n.d.).

Patient education reflects informed decision-making and cultural sensitivity. While the education materials should empower individuals to make knowledgeable decisions about their health, recognizing their autonomy and preferences, they should be accessible for patients with language barriers. It must cater to diverse cultural beliefs and practices. 

The implementation of these initiatives impacts stakeholders’ workflow and job requirements. Healthcare professionals such as physicians and nurses should focus on adapting to the technology. This entails the additional task of arranging robust training and education from organizations’ administrators. Meanwhile, the leaders work together to allocate resources strategically to integrate EHR systems and develop culturally inclusive patient education materials. Quality compliance teams monitor and ensure adherence to policy and practice guidelines, improving the overall quality of healthcare services and ensuring the sustainability of the initiatives.

 Stakeholders’ Participation in Policies and Guidelines

The participation of these stakeholders is imperative for the effective development and successful implementation of the policy and practice guidelines. Firstly, the diverse perspectives, for instance, are an essential benefit of engaging interprofessional team members. Involving various stakeholders ensures that the policy considers diverse viewpoints, integrating care for groups and populations from diverse backgrounds. This will eventually result in the desired outcomes and improved performance by the organization (Gomez & Bernet, 2019). Furthermore, participation from various stakeholders cultivates a sense of ownership and promotes active commitment to the initiative.

This is crucial to gauge their buy-in for successful policy and practice guidelines development and implementation, augmenting successful outcomes. Healthcare professionals such as physicians and nurses provide practical insights about patients’ needs and preferences, ensuring the concept of patient-centeredness is included during policy development (Persson et al., 2021). Finally, the quality assurance team’s participation is vital to monitor compliance with the policy and practice guidelines within the organization. Overall, the active participation of these stakeholders generates more robust policy and practice guidelines, promoting its successful and sustainable execution.

Strategies for Collaborating with  Stakeholders

The stakeholder group plays a pivotal role in implementing the proposed guidelines for foot examinations in diabetic patients. The collaboration