A case study in implementation: why is speed so variable?

摘要

Introduction:In every country within the same healthcare economy, some areas adopt new practice quickly, while others do not. Why is the speed of implementation so variable?Medicine is a relationship between the patient and the healthcare provider, whether doctor or nurse. This relationship is based on an ethos adopted over the last 3000 years, and the way in which doctors and nurses interact with their patient cannot suddenly change.This meeting has stressed repeatedly the importance of guidelines. For most healthcare providers, guidelines represent the most important source of information for a clinical situation they have not encountered before. By using guidelines, healthcare providers can feel that they are acting in a way that is reasonable for the patient. Every professional society is now producing guidelines at both national and international levels, and many believe that this is where the focus for change is.