Which tool outlines important aspects of care in a time sequence to achieve specific outcomes?

The clinical pathway is a valuable tool used in healthcare to outline important aspects of care in a structured, chronological sequence, with the purpose of achieving specific outcomes for patients. This approach integrates best practices and evidence-based standards of care, ensuring that all necessary interventions and assessments are planned and executed in a timely manner.

Clinical pathways help healthcare providers to coordinate care more effectively by detailing when and how specific actions should be taken during a patient's treatment journey. By mapping out these steps, clinical pathways facilitate communication among team members, promote consistency in care delivery, and enhance overall patient outcomes by minimizing variations in practice.

In contrast, a care plan generally focuses on the individual needs and goals of a specific patient rather than providing a standardized sequence of care. Patient care protocols establish guidelines for practice but do not illustrate them in a time-sensitive manner. A service delivery model details the overarching framework for care delivery but does not specifically outline the sequential actions required for patient treatment.