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Table 3. National Quality Forum practice description key elements

Assessing the Evidence for Context-Sensitive Effectiveness and Safety

Practice DescriptionElements
The practice must be a clearly and precisely defined process or manner of providing health care services.
  • Target outcome or objective of practice—A specific description of the effect a practice is intended to have.
  • What does the practice entail? Specify elements that are considered to enhance the likelihood of achieving the target outcome for the practice and details related to implementation that would result in relatively uniform and comparable practices and outcomes across implementing entities.
  • For what encounters/patient populations is the practice indicated?
  • Who should perform the practice?
  • Theoretical or clinical rationale for the effect of the practice on target outcome.
Readiness
  • What technology/tools are necessary to perform the practice?
  • What personnel qualifications are required to perform the practice?
    • What additional staff training is required for implementation?

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Page last reviewed December 2010
Internet Citation: Table 3. National Quality Forum practice description key elements: Assessing the Evidence for Context-Sensitive Effectiveness and Safety . December 2010. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://archive.ahrq.gov/research/findings/final-reports/contextsensitive/contexttab3.html