title: Return on investment imperative: the cost of care calculator for an evidence-based practice program.
abstract: The key elements of the evaluation process of an evidence-based practice (EBP) program and the infrastructure needed as identified by a large health care organization. The EBP evaluation program has 2 major elements for measuring success. The first component for evaluation is the impact on the clinical outcomes of care and the second is the fiscal implications of implementing the EBP. This article focuses on the fiscal evaluation component and describes a process to calculate the cost of care compared to before and after implementation of the EBP. The literature to support the care calculations is examined and a cost algorithm is described.
authors.affiliation: Evidence Based Clinical Practice and Clinical Technology, Catholic Health Initiatives, Englewood, Chicago, USA. maritaschifalacqua@catholichealth.net
authors.forename: Marita MacKinnon
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Schifalacqua
authors.forename: Jeanie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mamula
authors.forename: Alison Rich
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D003120:Colorado; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards