Protocols, Policies, and Procedures: Tools for Quality Improvement in Critical Care

Protocols, checklists, guidelines, and bundles are essential tools designed to improve the quality of care. Developing and maintaining effective policies, procedures, and protocols are now essential for ensuring smoothly operating and efficient critical care services. Quality improvement initiatives should incorporate four essential phases: development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance. Essential to the quality improvement is the process of measuring performance. Developing and revising ICU policies and procedures should be based on the ongoing measurement of performance. Funders, health-care systems, and government entities are increasingly mandating public reporting of quality measures.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Andrew T. Levinson
  2. Intensive Care Unit, Miriam, Hospital, Providence, RI, USA Andrew T. Levinson
  3. Division Chief Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA Mitchell M. Levy
  4. Medical Intensive Care Unit, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USA Mitchell M. Levy
  1. Andrew T. Levinson