Clinical practice guideline implementation strategy patterns in Veterans Affairs primary care clinics.
BACKGROUND
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mandated the system-wide implementation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) in the mid-1990s, arming all facilities with basic resources to facilitate implementation; despite this resource allocation, significant variability still exists across VA facilities in implementation success.


OBJECTIVE
This study compares CPG implementation strategy patterns used by high and low performing primary care clinics in the VA.


METHODS
Descriptive, cross-sectional study of a purposeful sample of six Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) with high and low performance on six CPGs.


METHODS
One hundred and two employees (management, quality improvement, clinic personnel) involved with guideline implementation at each VAMC primary care clinic. MEASURES; Participants reported specific strategies used by their facility to implement guidelines in 1-hour semi-structured interviews. Facilities were classified as high or low performers based on their guideline adherence scores calculated through independently conducted chart reviews.


RESULTS
High performing facilities (HPFs) (a) invested significantly in the implementation of the electronic medical record and locally adapting it to provider needs, (b) invested dedicated resources to guideline-related initiatives, and (c) exhibited a clear direction in their strategy choices. Low performing facilities exhibited (a) earlier stages of development for their electronic medical record, (b) reliance on preexisting resources for guideline implementation, with little local adaptation, and (c) no clear direction in their strategy choices.


CONCLUSIONS
A multifaceted, yet targeted, strategic approach to guideline implementation emphasizing dedicated resources and local adaptation may result in more successful implementation and higher guideline adherence than relying on standardized resources and taxing preexisting channels.
Hysong
Sylvia J
SJ
Houston Center for Quality of Care & Utilization Studies, Baylor College of Medicine, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (152), 2002 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Best
Richard G
RG
Pugh
Jacqueline A
JA
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs