Best Practice in Health Care: Confusion and Contribution?

Abstract

As the health care industry adopts the language of more commercially oriented industries, terms such as best practice emerge in the health literature (Health and Community Services Victoria, 1995). This occurs often without qualification or definition and in different contexts. Consequently, there is a need to develop consistency in the use of such terms and some understanding of the concepts. This discussion revolves around the answers to questions which it is hoped will provide a framework for consistency in the use of the term best practice. As language evolves, meanings change as understanding increases and the context of usage alters. Therefore, it is neither claimed that this analysis is unchallengeable, nor that the definition is absolute. It is simply an attempt to create a degree of order in the debate on best practice; a term which has been used loosely. The two principal questions to be addressed are: what is the meaning of best practice? and is it a concept that has anything of value to offer health service management and service delivery?