Excellence in EBP and Outcomes in Healthcare Designation
The Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare developed the Excellence in Evidence-based Practice and Outcomes in Healthcare Designation to recognize hospitals and healthcare systems that have created outstanding interprofessional evidence-based enterprises that are delivering excellent outcomes.
In the United States there are some compelling and disturbing statistics about our medical outcomes. They include:
- According to the Institutes of Medicine (IOM), there are an estimated 44,000 to 98,000 medical error-attributed deaths each year in the United States (Kohn et al, 2000).
- According to James there are up to 400,000 unintended patient deaths every year (James 2013).
- One in four inpatients are harmed through adverse events with nearly a quarter of these being preventable (Bates et al, 2023).
- Additionally, receiving healthcare is the third leading cause of death in the country (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2016).
- In a 2022 scoping review by Aghighi et al, inadequate knowledge and skills were the most common cause of medication errors, with the associated stress and fatigue of lack of knowledge and know-how contributing to increased medical errors (Aghighi, 2022).
- Rodziewicz and Hipskind assert that a culture that promotes safety and solutions makes healthcare safer for both patients and healthcare providers (Rodziewicz, 2018).
These studies demonstrate that at the minimum the US healthcare system is not performing well. We propose that evidence-based practice (EBP), and building knowledge and skills in evidencebased practice, improves healthcare. Our scoping review in Worldviews on evidence-based nursing shows that EBP improves patient outcomes and improved outcomes helps get us out of healthcare’s problems (Connor, 2023a). In fact, 90% of the studies reviewed showed that use of EBP improved patient outcomes and 94% showed that EBP improved an organization’s return on investment (ROI). While Magnet® recognition may have a positive impact on some critical patient outcomes (mortality, failure to rescue, falls and patient satisfaction), neither hospital accreditation nor hospital certification (except for bariatric accreditation and stroke specialty certification) have been shown to have a conclusive impact on patient outcomes (Connor 2023b and Connor, 2024); only EBP was determined to have a positive influence on numerous patient outcomes. While many organizations do not regularly budget for evidence-based practice initiatives, those that do show improved clinician retention and patient outcomes. In fact, the higher the organizational budget for EBP the better the patient outcomes and clinician retention (Melnyk, 2023).
The Fuld National Institute for EBP would like to recognize organizations that are effectively using EBP to positively change healthcare to improve patient outcomes. (Sources listed below.)
Read the Designation announcement here.
Purpose:
To develop a designation for organizations that are doing amazing work in developing cultures of EBP and meeting the Quintuple Aim. There is a strong interdisciplinary focus based on patient and organization outcomes.
Benefits of Earning the Excellence in EBP and Outcomes in Healthcare Designation:
- National recognition for excellence in best practices and outcomes.
- Acknowledgement of the work and efforts of clinicians and leaders who have built exemplary EBP enterprises.
- Inclusion in a network of top-tier healthcare organizations leading the way for excellence in evidence-based care and outcomes.
Designation Earners
We would like to recognize the following organizations for gold-level designation: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
Application Information:
Pre-application Assessment Tools
Scorecard tools can be accessed using the links in the "How do we get started?" section below.
Application, Scoring, Site Visit & Designation
- Application: Four Sections
- Section 1: Organization Profile
- Section 2: Organizational Leadership
- Section 3: Organizational Infrastructures and Processes
- Section 4: Outcomes
-
Scoring System: Total of 128 Points
- 116 – 128 (90 – 100%) Gold
- 103 – 115 (80 – 89%) Silver
- 90 – 102 (70 – 79%) opportunity to reapply within one year with no additional fee
- Completed Application: Email to ebpexcellencedesignation@osu.edu
- Multiple reviewers: Consensus is reached at each phase of the review
- Site Visit: Applicants that receive 80% or higher will have a site visit to validate the written application
- Designation for 5 years
Gold Designation
A gold designation is presented to organizations that meet or exceed 90% of the required criteria.
Silver Designation
A silver designation is presented to organizations that meet 80-89% of the required criteria.
How do we get started?
Is your organization ready to apply for this designation?
1. Use these scorecards to evaluate your organization's evidence-based practice and Quintuple Aim in Healthcare status.
EBP Scorecard
Quintuple Aim Scorecard
2. Schedule a free consultation with the program director, Linda Connor, if your scores indicate your organization is ready to apply.
3. Dr. Connor will send you more details about the application process.
4. Once the application payment is received from your organization, the application will be sent to the contact person.
5. Submit your application to start the review process.
Program Director
Please contact Linda Connor, PhD, RN, CPN, Program Director for the Excellence in EBP and Outcomes in Healthcare Designation with questions or for a consultation at ebpexcellencedesignation@osu.edu or 614-292-1902.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can we apply either as an individual entity or as a system?
A. Yes, but we would recommend you reach out to the Designation Program Director to inquire and discuss. The Designation Program Director is Linda Connor at 614-292-1902 or ebpexcellencedesignation@osu.edu.
Q: Is the application fee refundable?
A: No, the application fee is not refundable.
Q: Once we purchase the application, how long do we have to submit the application?
A. You will have one year to complete and submit the application.
Q: How long should it take to complete the application?
A: Previous applicant teams completed the application in two weeks.
Q: Who should we contact to answer questions while we are completing the application?
A: The Designation Program Manager, Linda Connor, at 614-292-1902 or ebpexcellencedesignation@osu.edu.
Q. How is the completed application submitted?
A. Email the completed application and all supporting documents to the Designation mailbox, ebpexcellencedesignation@osu.edu.
Q. How long after submitting the application will we hear from the Fuld Institute for EBP?
A. The turnaround time is 30 - 60 days (assuming no unusual circumstances occur).
Q. When is a site visit scheduled?
A. Any application that receives a score of 80 percent or more will then require a site visit.
Q: Is the site visit in person or virtual?
A: The site visit is in person. Three reviewers will spend one full day at your organization. The applicant organization will pay for all required expenses incurred by the reviewers (travel, hotel accommodations and meals). The travel plan will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Q. What is the purpose of the site visit?
A. The site visit is an opportunity for the review team to validate the information submitted on the written application. The site visit can lead to an increase or decrease in the score. The designation is based on the cumulative scoring from both the written application and the site visit.
Q: How soon after the site visit will we receive our final results?
A: Results will be emailed to the contact person within four weeks.
Cost
Application cost includes:
- Application review
- Site visit to organization (minus travel expenses for reviewers)
Cost: $30,000 | organization
To pay using a credit card*, click the button below:
*For other forms of payment, contact Mr. Casey Jacobs at jacobs.624@osu.edu.
Additional Information
Sources used above:
Aghighi, N., Aryankhesal, A., & Raeissi, P. (2022). Factors affecting the recurrence of medical errors in hospitals and the preventive strategies: a scoping review. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10151730/
Bates, D. W., Levine, D. M., Salmasian, H., Syrowatka, A., Shahian, D. M., Lipsitz, S., ... & Mort, E. (2023). The safety of inpatient health care. New England Journal of Medicine, 388(2), 142-153. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36630622/
Connor, L., Beckett, C., Zadvinskis, I., Melnyk, B. M., Messinger, J., & Gallagher-Ford, L. (2023). The association between Magnet® recognition and patient outcomes: A scoping review. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 53(10), 500–507. https://doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0000000000001325
Connor, L., Dean, J., McNett, M., Tydings, D. M., Shrout, A., Gorsuch, P. F., Hole, A., Moore, L., Brown, R., Melnyk, B. M., & Gallagher-Ford, L. (2023). Evidence-based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 20(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621
Connor, L., Dufour, K., Zadvinskis, I. M., Waddell, A., Powell, N., Gorsuch, P., Brown, R., Melnyk, B. M., & Gallagher-Ford. (2024), Does Hospital Accreditation or Certification Impact Patient Outcomes? Findings from a Scoping Review for Healthcare Industry Leaders. The Journal of Healthcare Management (under review).
James, J.T. (2013). A new, evidence-based estimate of patient harms associated with hospital care. Journal of Patient Safety, 9(3), 122-128. https://journals.lww.com/journalpatientsafety/Fulltext/2013/09000/A_New,_Evidence_based_Estimate_of_Patient_Harms.2.aspx
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2016, May 3). Study Suggests Medical Errors Now Third Leading Cause of Death in the U.S. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us
Kohn, L.T., Corrigan, J.M., Donaldson MS. (2000) Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Quality of Health Care in America. To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington (DC): National Academies Press. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25077248/
Melnyk, B. M., Hsieh, A. P., Messinger, J., Thomas, B., Connor, L., & Gallagher-Ford, L. (2023). Budgetary investment in evidence-based practice by chief nurses and stronger EBP cultures are associated with less turnover and better patient outcomes. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 20, 162– 171. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12645
Rodziewicz TL, Houseman B, Hipskind JE. (2018). Medical Error Reduction and Prevention. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499956/