Bridging practice and research: differentiating quality improvement, quality assurance, and quality improvement research in a learning health system
Authors:
Open Access
- 27 January 2025
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing
- Vol. 24 (7) , 1182-1187
Abstract
Evidence-based practice integrates research into clinical care to enhance patient outcomes, yet gaps persist in translating evidence into practice. Learning health systems (LHSs) address these gaps by embedding knowledge generation within healthcare delivery. These systems use healthcare information to improve clinical practice and the value, quality, and efficiency of the systems providing healthcare services. In this paper, the distinctions between quality improvement (QI), quality assurance, and QI research in LHS are described, and the importance of nurse-led initiatives to foster research-oriented culture in LHS is emphasized. In understanding these methodologies, nurses can drive the translation and evaluation of evidence for practice improvement, advance healthcare quality, and overcome traditional barriers to LHS evidence uptake and evaluation.Keywords
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