JBI to develop online clinical resources

The Minister for Ageing, Senator Santo Santoro, has announced the Federal Government’s support for the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) in South Australia to develop and maintain online clinical resources for the aged care sector, at a cost of almost $1.1 million over the next two years.

Health professionals, aged care providers and others involved in the care of older Australians will benefit from using evidence-based practice to provide better care to older patients and aged care residents.

A readily available online reference point will make it easier for aged care workers to identify clinical aged care solutions that are based on the best available research.

Increasing opportunities for people to access clinical evidence should lead to better care and health outcomes. It will also reduce variability in clinical aged care practice throughout Australia and assist the safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of care.

The Joanna Briggs Institute has a strong reputation in evidence-based clinical decision support and practice improvement, and has done much to promote best-practice across the health sector. JBI already administers the aged care clinical fellowships funded by the Howard Government, another example of its commitment to improving care for older Australians.

Under the agreement, JBI will develop online resources which will include a database of evidence summaries and will provide information sheets, best-practice guides, and database tools to help users apply evidence-based practice.