Evidence-Based Practice Case Study-US Health Care Delivery
Definition
Evidence-based practice (EBP), from a personal understanding, is the continuous use of research evidence to improve one’s clinical knowledge, skills, and expertise. EBP goes beyond best practices to utilize current evidence that is more objective than subjective to achieve a set health objective. Therefore, EBP in healthcare is the healthcare practices, including making care decisions in which nurses and other healthcare professionals responsibly integrate their professional expertise and clinical experiences with the current and best evidence on care, including individual patient preferences, to improve the outcomes of the care provided.
Analysis of Evidence-Based Practice in the U.S. Health Care Delivery
Achieving full evidence-based practice in health care delivery in the United States is a worthy goal for various reasons. Firstly, EBP is a result of rigorous questioning of healthcare and patient issues, searching for evidence, and applying that evidence (Dange et al., 2021). It is supported by scientific research, including testing various theoretical interventions to develop objective methods of patient and treatment. Therefore, through EBP, healthcare delivery can become more reliable by utilizing scientifically approved and innovative care methods.
Secondly, the healthcare environment and the knowledge of healthcare are extremely dynamic. In reality, some care practices may become outdated. The U.S. healthcare delivery system is also encountering new and emerging diseases as the current ones continuously mutate and create newer disease versions. Some methods that are used to work may, at some point, fail to deliver health outcomes as expected. As EBP relies on new evidence and information on healthcare methods (Dange et al., 2021), it provides the healthcare delivery system with a reference base to continuously update their knowledge, skills, treatment, and care practices for effective patient care.
Thirdly, patient preferences are also changing as patients now require an individualized approach to the healthcare services they receive. These personalized care preferences create new challenges to the healthcare delivery system and require newer and updated knowledge and practices on disease and patient management. EBP provides tools and skills for healthcare providers to customize care plans based on the patient’s individual health needs. As patient outcomes become the center of focus for EBP, it supports the development of patient-centered care. Additionally, by utilizing and integrating scientifically updated evidence with clinical experience and patient preferences, EBP helps achieve optimal treatment and optimal patient and health outcomes.
Furthermore, the implementation of evidence developed from research requires the evaluation of the evidence and dissemination of the information through collaborative approaches (Dange et al., 2021). Such collaboration in research and the implementation of EBP create an environment of knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing in the process of developing and implementing EBP has positive impacts at the individual and organizational levels, as well as the entire healthcare system. Evidence shows that knowledge sharing improves healthcare professionals’ experiences, helping solve major institutional problems such as high turnovers and turnover intentions of employees and higher retention across the healthcare system (Adeyelure et al., 2019). So basically, knowledge sharing in EBP can resolve the issue of provider shortages currently affecting the U.S. healthcare system.
Analysis of Evidence-Based Practice at MMCI/Allina Health and U.S. Hospitals
Minneapolis Medical Center Incorporated (MMCI)/ Allina Health has used ECP in various ways. MMCI/Allina Health has collaborated with other healthcare facilities in the Minneapolis area and used EBP to facilitate the coordination of care and delivery over time. The MMCI/Allina Health has also used EBP to create healthcare environments that support EBP-based standards of the patient that help the hospital system achieve significant advancements in its care delivery to support high-quality care, and inpatient healthcare education lays the foundations of a modern healthcare delivery system. EBP has also been used to guide MMCI/Allina Health in primary health care in the delivery of cardiovascular care, medical education, and patient health planning, as well as its expansion to provide mental health services, neuroscience, orthopedic care, and cancer treatment. EBP is also a critical factor in all decisions made with regard to care and treatment at the MMCI/Allina Health facilities. Most other hospital systems in the U.S. healthcare delivery system are applying EBP in similar ways.
Analysis of the Impact of Healthcare Mergers on Patient Care and Evidence-Based Practice
Based on personal knowledge, experiences, and observations from my own community, I believe that healthcare mergers have a positive impact on patient care and EBP. Healthcare mergers improve the capital base of the merging hospital, allowing them to invest in research and healthcare facilities that improve the quality of care and efficiency of care delivery. The wider hospital system, after a merger and increased capital for expansion to newer markets, improves the accessibility of care by providing alternative care access points. However, research notes that although hospital mergers can lower costs and improve the efficiency of access and delivery of care, it can contribute to higher prices of particular healthcare services due to monopoly control (Walia & Boudreaux, 2019).
References
Adeyelure, T. S., Kalema, B. M., & Motlanthe, B. L. (2019). An empirical study of knowledge sharing: A case of South African healthcare system. Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, 11(1), 114–128. https://doi.org/10.34105/J.KMEL.2019.11.007
Dang, D., Dearholt, S. L., Bissett, K., Ascenzi, J., & Whalen, M. (2021). Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice for nurses and healthcare professionals: model and guidelines. Sigma Theta Tau.
Walia, B., & Boudreaux, C. J. (2019). Hospital mergers, acquisitions, and regulatory policy implications: Price, cost, access, and market power effects. Managerial Finance, 45(10–11), 1354–1362. https://doi.org/10.1108/MF-07-2018-0319/FULL/XML
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Question
Write a 3-4 page paper answering the following questions. Please include at least 2 scholarly resources to support your positions further.

Evidence-Based Practice Case Study-US Health Care Delivery
Questions
- In your own words, what is EBP?
- Is it a worthy goal for U.S. healthcare delivery? Why or why not?
- How has MMCI/Allina Health used EBP? Are most other hospital systems in the United States using EBP similarly, or are there differences in the adoption of EBP?
- Based on your knowledge and possibly your community, what impacts do healthcare mergers have on patient care and EBP?
Cite all sources in APA format.
