New Designation Recognizes EBP Excellence

by David Gerad

The Excellence in Evidence-based Practice and Outcomes in Healthcare Designation offered by the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice (EBP) in Nursing and Healthcare recognizes organizations that emphasize excellence in EBP and healthcare outcomes.

“As the healthcare industry faces precarious times, this designation sets apart organizations that have focused their efforts on improving care and outcomes through evidence-based problem solving and decision making as a standard approach, which is not an easy road to travel,” said Lynn Gallagher-Ford, PhD, RN, EBP-C, NE-BC, DPFNAP, FAAN, chief operating officer and clinical core director of the Fuld National Institute for EBP. “Shifting to EBP as the ‘normal’ or ‘routine’ problem solving approach is a significant disruption in most organizations, and it requires tremendous transformative work. That work is only possible when great leaders thoughtfully align with expert, engaged clinicians to deliver highly reliable, evidence-based care to achieve exceptional outcomes. Together they set a bold EBP vision, create and support a strong EBP culture, develop robust EBP capacity and infrastructures, and break through all the EBP barriers.”

To earn the designation, hospitals and healthcare systems need to complete a rigorous application process and receive a score of at least 80%, demonstrating they are an outstanding transdisciplinary evidence-based enterprise that delivers excellent outcomes. If an organization’s score is 80% or higher, a site visit is scheduled to meet with leaders, key stakeholders and frontline clinicians to validate what was reported in the application and obtain additional information. If the applicant’s score is 90% or higher after the site visit, a gold designation is presented. If the score is between 80-89%, a silver designation is presented. Application criteria includes:

1. Organization profile: environment, mission/vision/strategic plan, EBP models and framework
2. Organizational leadership: EBP competence in clinicians, leadership role models for evidence-based decision making, integration of EBP, empowerment and recognition of EBP-related work
3. Infrastructures and processes: educated EBP mentors, inter-professional support, alignment and integration of EBP with process/quality improvement and research, ensuring implementation and sustainability of EBP initiatives
4. Outcomes: exemplars in enhanced patient experience, improved population health, reduced costs, elevated well-being and work life of healthcare professionals

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, NY, received the first gold designation and was recognized for this achievement at the 2021 EBP National Summit presented by the Fuld National Institute for EBP. “We are so honored to become trailblazers for this prestigious designation,” said Kevin P. Browne, DNP, RN, CNS, CCRN, former deputy chief nursing officer and vice president of ambulatory care at MSKCC. “It confirms what we firmly believe: that evidence-based practice is the very best approach to influence oncology care delivery, practice environments and patient outcomes.”

“Our designation provides terrific recognition for health systems and hospitals that have demonstrated improved outcomes as a result of investing in transdisciplinary evidence-based practice and clinician well-being,” said Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, APRN-CNP, EBP-C, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, the executive director of the Fuld National Institute for EBP. “Not only does investing in this formula lead to a more engaged workforce and high quality and safety of care, but it also produces a huge return on investment for healthcare organizations.”

Linda Connor, PhD, RN, EBP-C, CPN, director of the excellence designation program, added that organizations that earn this designation, “will be included in a network of top-tier healthcare organizations recognized for leading the way in delivering excellence in evidence-based care and outcomes.”