Clinical practice guidelines for quality patient outcomes.

In response to environmental changes brought about by the debate over health-care reform, hospitals are seeking means to decrease costs while improving quality. By examining the process of health-care delivery, problems in the system can be highlighted for further investigation. Development of clinical practice guidelines by an interdisciplinary team can be an effective approach to decrease undesirable practice variation, standardize appropriate resource use, and measure the effectiveness of care through defined expected-patient outcomes. By ensuring the appropriate, efficient, and effective delivery of health care, savings in cost can be realized by the elimination of duplication, rework, and waste.