Understanding the Theory and Process of Strategy Development: Integrated Care Pathways

Definition: 'An integrated care pathway is a multidisciplinary outline of anticipated care, placed in an appropriate timeframe' to help a patient with a specific condition or set of symptoms move progressively through a clinical experience to positive outcomes' (www.evidence-based-medicine.co.uk).

• Variations may occur as clinical freedom is exercised to meet the needs of the individual patient.
• Integrated care pathways are important to help reduce unnecessary variations in patient care and outcomes and their carers.
• They can be used as a tool to incorporate local and national guidelines into everyday practice, manage clinical risk and meet the requirements of clinical governance.
• They should be incorporated into organisational strategy and topics should be chosen that will provide opportunities for improvement of patient care.

Critical success factors

• Part of an organisational quality programme.
• Collaboration between professional groups with a strong clinical lead.
• Topics are chosen that are based on available evidence/best practice and include goals and outcomes.
• Project facilitators have appropriate skills, and the expectations of staff are clearly managed.
• Analysis and Review are key processes in the evaluation of the effectiveness of an ICP
• Variations from the ICP are collected and analysed.
• ICPs are owned by clinical staff and completed by all staff involved.

© K Enock 2006