ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses primarily on the care pathway, although reference will be made to the all-encompassing Integrated Care Pathway. The combination of high quality multidisciplinary intervention underpinned by evidence-based practice is best provided through the use of the care pathway approach. It provides a step-by-step guide to developing both the integrated and care pathway versions developed following practical experience of developing, implementing, and monitoring multidisciplinary pathways with reference to a theoretical base. A care pathway contains a number of different elements, including planning and implementation, followed by ongoing review. The use of care pathways strengthens clinical governance procedures within organisations and across them. There is strong evidence that the experience of health professionals both in the UK and United States points to benefits of using care pathways. Cost containment itself may be a benefit, but equitable better quality care should remain the key objective.
