Abstract
Introduction: A best practice guideline (BPG) including four recommendations for health providers, organizations and health systems in the context of a digital health environment was developed by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) (1). The scope includes many digital health technologies, including virtual care technologies and predictive analytics (1). This presentation will discuss the recommendations in the BPG, and implementation and evaluation considerations noted by a Canadian hospital partnered with RNAO through its Best Practice Spotlight Organization® program.
Methods: The RNAO team worked with an expert panel to develop the BPG (2). Five research questions and corresponding outcomes were prioritized, and systematic reviews were conducted. Guideline development methodologists used the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) approach to appraise the evidence and develop recommendations with the expert panel (2,3). Following publication in March 2024, using the frameworks in the Leading Change Toolkit (4, 5) and with support from implementation science managers and best practice champions, implementation and evaluation of the BPG has begun in a hospital.
Results: Recommendation areas for the BPG focused on: professional development education; education about interpersonal communication skills in digital health environments; peer champion models; and leveraging predictive analytics (1). Implementation was measured over an 18-month period at a Canadian community hospital, and results indicated 99% of nursing staff were compliant with orientation to technologies. Additionally, 84% of nurses reported comfort with technologies to deliver care, and 30% of patients enrolled in a digital patient portal. Facilitators and barriers to implementation will be discussed. Evaluation of outcomes is ongoing.
Conclusions: This BPG includes recommendations, implementation resources, and indicators for evaluation of outcomes.
Notes
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References:
1. Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). Clinical Practice in a Digital Health Environment. 1st ed. RNAO; 2024. https://rnao.ca/bpg/guidelines/clinical-practice-digital-health-environment
2. Howitt L, Burt A, Nizum N, Buchanan C, Rey M, Grinspun D. Best practice guideline development methods: An integrated approach based on the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario’s methods. Clinical and Public Health Guidelines. 2025;3:1-8. In press.
3. Schunemann HJ, Brozek J, Guyatt G, Oxman A, editors. Handbook for grading the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations using the GRADE approach. 2013. https://gdt.gradepro.org/app/handbook/handbook.html
4. Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), Healthcare Excellence Canada (HEC). Leading Change Toolkit (4th Ed.). RNAO; 2024. https://www.RNAO.ca/leading-change-toolkit
5. Grinspun D, Wallace K, Li SA, et al. Exploring social movement concepts and actions in a knowledge uptake and sustainability context: A concept analysis. Int J Nurs Sci. 2022;9(4):411-421. doi:10.1016/j.ijnss.2022.08.003
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interprofessional Initiatives, Implementation Science, Best Practice Guidelines, Digital Health, Practice Guidelines
Recommended Citation
Buchanan, Christine; Howitt, Lyndsay; Zucal, Giulia; Yoon, Jennifer; Charlebois, Maureen; Rey, Michelle; and Grinspun, Doris, "Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Digital Health Best Practice Guideline" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 109.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/109
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-08-03
Development, Implementation and Evaluation of a Digital Health Best Practice Guideline
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Introduction: A best practice guideline (BPG) including four recommendations for health providers, organizations and health systems in the context of a digital health environment was developed by the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) (1). The scope includes many digital health technologies, including virtual care technologies and predictive analytics (1). This presentation will discuss the recommendations in the BPG, and implementation and evaluation considerations noted by a Canadian hospital partnered with RNAO through its Best Practice Spotlight Organization® program.
Methods: The RNAO team worked with an expert panel to develop the BPG (2). Five research questions and corresponding outcomes were prioritized, and systematic reviews were conducted. Guideline development methodologists used the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) approach to appraise the evidence and develop recommendations with the expert panel (2,3). Following publication in March 2024, using the frameworks in the Leading Change Toolkit (4, 5) and with support from implementation science managers and best practice champions, implementation and evaluation of the BPG has begun in a hospital.
Results: Recommendation areas for the BPG focused on: professional development education; education about interpersonal communication skills in digital health environments; peer champion models; and leveraging predictive analytics (1). Implementation was measured over an 18-month period at a Canadian community hospital, and results indicated 99% of nursing staff were compliant with orientation to technologies. Additionally, 84% of nurses reported comfort with technologies to deliver care, and 30% of patients enrolled in a digital patient portal. Facilitators and barriers to implementation will be discussed. Evaluation of outcomes is ongoing.
Conclusions: This BPG includes recommendations, implementation resources, and indicators for evaluation of outcomes.
Description
This presentation will discuss the recommendations within the Clinical Practice in a Digital Health Environment BPG (1). It will outline the main components of the BPG development process, including use of the GRADE approach (3). Participants will gain an understanding of how the BPG can be implemented and evaluated in a clinical setting using real-life examples.