Extent and feasibility of the application of the clinical pathway, clinical guideline, and practice protocol in eastern province Saudi Arabian Hospitals: A cross-sectional survey study

Abstract

Background: Diversity in clinical practice may become a problem and increase the risk of errors. Several tools have been suggested to reduce this diversity and improve unification in clinical practice. These tools include the clinical pathway, clinical guidelines, and practice protocol. They have been proven effective. However, there are different barriers to their application. Methods and Data Analysis: A cross-sectional survey in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aimed to identify the availability of the clinical pathway, clinical guidelines, and practice protocol and their benefits, as well as barriers in their development and utilization. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to evaluate the study results. Findings are presented as numbers and percentages. Results: Clinical pathway, clinical guidelines, and practice protocol are available to a large extent in the Eastern Province. The study showed some difficulties in the development and implementation of these tools, such as insufficient training and leader support. It also provided some suggestions to overcome these barriers. Conclusion: The availability of clinical pathway, clinical guidelines, and practice protocol has helped unify practice and reduce errors in the clinical setting. The barriers can be overcome by different solutions.