Third Annual
2004 Summer Institute on Evidence-Based Practice 
Fostering Quality

Overview

This Institute prepares healthcare providers for an increasing role in evidence-based practice (EBP) to improve the quality of healthcare through translation of research into practice. Designed for multiple disciplines, this conference builds on the success of 2002 and 2003. The 2004 Institute focuses on “Fostering Quality” and emphasizes cultivation of an evidence-based practice environment through organizational and individual change. Clinicians, educators, researchers, and managers will be equipped with pragmatic, foundational, and intermediate EBP skills, with specific emphasis on strategies for practice improvement, organizational change, team building, and using EBP resources.

Public accountability is crucial to demonstrate adequate return-on-investment from the more than $250 billion spent on US health research. The Summer Institute on EBP is a direct response to the national call for healthcare providers to bridge research and quality care by preparing our workforce to implement a health system based on what we know to be good quality care.

During the 2 1/2 day Institute, noted EBP leaders and experts will present a coordinated, interactive curriculum. Major topics will include urgency of using evidence to improve clinical care, research evidence available for national priority clinical conditions, principles and practical essentials of organizational change, outcome measurement, infrastructure development, and impact of EBP on selected roles within the health professions (clinician, quality manager, teacher, and researcher).

The Institute also includes these special opportunities:

• Presentations of best practice projects (See Call for Abstracts at www.acestar.uthscsa.edu)
• Pre- and Post-Masters, Pre- and Post-Doctoral Coursework (Contact Dr. Kathleen Stevens at acestar@uthscsa.edu for further information)

The program is planned by clinicians, educators, researchers, and administrators from multiple disciplines and from private, VA, and military healthcare agencies.

Objectives

Participants will have an opportunity to:

• Develop foundations and strategies to cultivate an EBP environment in one's own health care setting.
• Apply principles of EBP to advance quality health care through organizational and individual change.
• Describe the impetus for using evidence to cross the quality chasm in healthcare, including accreditation and recognition programs.
• Understand and utilize various levels of evidence and knowledge for EBP in clinical practice.
• Facilitate EBP by locating, appraising, developing, and implementing EBP clinical practice guidelines and toolkits.
• Describe the impact of EBP on the roles of healthcare clinician, educator, researcher, manager, and administrator.

Who Should Attend

 The Institute is of particular interest to the following groups:

• All clinicians, nurses, physicians, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists who wish to use evidence in practice
• Researchers who represent the science of the various disciplines
• Educators who prepare nurses, physicians, or pharmacists for implementing quality care
• Administrators and quality managers who shape healthcare services