Table 1 Characteristics of clinical pathways derived from sentinel articles
From: What is a clinical pathway? Development of a definition to inform the debate
De Bleser et al. [2] | Campbell et al. [4] | Vanhaecht et al. [5] |
|---|---|---|
Guides care management for a well defined group of patients for a well defined period of time | Structured multidisciplinary care plan | Facilitate variance management |
States goals and key elements of care based on evidence and best practice | Detail essential steps in care of patients with a specific clinical problem | Support multidisciplinary care |
Sequences the actions of a multidisciplinary team | Facilitate translation of national guidelines into local protocols | Support evidence-based clinical practice |
Allow documenting, monitoring and evaluating of variances | Help communication with patients by providing a clearly written summary of care | Â |