MANUSCRIPT: Enhancing the Use of Clinical Guidelines: A Social Norms Perspective
This article reviews the history of guideline development and use, assesses the current state of implementation, identifies obstacles to adoption, and suggests strategies to overcome these obstacles. The major finding is that the current approach to development, dissemination, and encouraged use of guidelines is inconsistent with knowledge of psychology.
The major recommendations are that the approach to translation of evidence into practice be revised to address convenience; to respond to public and peer demand; to provide immediate feedback concerning performance; and to leverage existing incentives, transparencies, and accountabilities. Implementation of these recommendations is expected to augment safety and best practice in the health-care community.
Written by Brian S McGowan, PhD
Dr. McGowan has served in leadership positions in numerous medical educational organizations and commercial supporters and is a Fellow of the Alliance (FACEhp). He founded the Outcomes Standardization Project, launched and hosted the Alliance Podcast, and most recently launched and hosts the JCEHP Emerging Best Practices in CPD podcast. In 2012 he Co-Founded ArcheMedX, Inc, a healthcare informatics and e-learning company to apply his research in practice.
