Integrated Care Pathways
Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) are also known as care profiles, care protocols, critical care pathways, multidisciplinary pathways of care. They are multi-disciplinary, locally agreed, evidence-based plans, describing the expected progress of a specific patient group. Health Care Informed works with organisations to develop ICPs that are specific and relevant.
Like Policies and Procedures, ICPs are often seen as a requirement for specific accreditation or certification of quality and safety systems. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), for example, acute and palliative standards refer to the need for a "determined integrated care plan" (Care/Service Standards).
"An integrated care pathway determines locally agreed multidisciplinary practice, based on guidelines and evidence where available for a specific patient/client group. It forms all or part of the clinical record, documents the care given, and facilitates the evaluation of outcomes for continuous quality improvement" (National Pathways Association, 1998).
The concept of integrated care pathways emerged from care management initiatives originally in the USA, and was gradually introduced into the UK in the late 1980s. Developed and used initially for the purpose of cost containment, in the UK the emphasis has been to use integrated care pathways as a quality tool. Originally used in cold surgery, because the healthcare can be more easily standardised, they are increasingly being developed and used for other patient/treatment categories.
Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) are promoted as a means for:
- Reducing variations in care
- Empowering patients and staff
- Incorporating evidence base into practice
- Embedding clinical audit into practice
- Streamlining documentation
- Reducing duplication among the team
ICPs are an opportunity to identify good practice, remove bad practice, identify and apply evidence, identify education and training needs, and appreciate the skills and contributions of all professionals and care sectors.
Health Care Informed provides support and education in developing successful pathways:
Review other pathways on the same topic/patient group.
Review the current clinical service – consider the types of clinical interventions involved with this patient group: map the process from start to finish by considering the following at each stage of the patient’s journey:
- What is the most appropriate care?
- When is the most appropriate time?
- Who is the most appropriate person?
- Where is the most appropriate location?
Test and pilot your pathway; audit and monitor it closely.
Evaluate options for further development of it.
Support and educate for implementation
Develop audit mechanisms to support it.
Assist ongoing improvement of the pathway
Review the ICP regularly in the light of new research/evaluation of results and audit.
For more information on Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) contact us today info@hci.ie
