| | Table A-1. Patient Safety Practices with the Greatest Strength of Evidence Regarding their Impact and Effectiveness (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-11-04) |
 | | If a practice that addresses a very common or severe patient safety problem receives a low rating on the impact/evidence scale, it may be because the strength of the evidence base is still weak because there have been few evaluations. |
 | | However, if the practice has been studied rigorously, and there is clear evidence that its effectiveness is negligible, it is rated at the low ends of both the "strength of the evidence" (on impact/effectiveness) scale and the "research priority" scale. |
 | | The ratings for implementation are "Low," which corresponds to low cost and low complexity of implementation (e.g., political or technical issues); "Medium," which represents low to medium cost and high complexity, or medium to high cost and low complexity; and "High," which reflects medium to high cost and high complexity of implementation. |
| www.ahcpr.gov /clinic/ptsafety/TabA-1tv.htm (529 words) |