Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases (TICD): a protocol for process evaluation in cluster randomized...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare delivery research
• Implementation science
• Chronic disease management

Background:

• The Tailored Implementation for Chronic Diseases (TICD) project developed five tailored implementation programs for chronic conditions.
• These programs are being evaluated using distinct cluster-randomized controlled trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify determinants of change in chronic illness care.
• To assess the validity of applied tailoring methods.
• To analyze the relationship between implementation activities and program effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A multilevel approach was used to develop tailored implementation interventions.
• Study protocols and process evaluations were developed iteratively for five distinct trials.
• Process evaluation includes surveys, interviews, and documentation of organizational practices, guided by logic models.

Main Results:

• The process evaluation utilizes a mixed-methods approach with surveys and interviews of health professionals.
• Logic models guide the evaluation by specifying links between strategies, determinants, and outcomes.
• Standardization of measures across trials is a key objective for aggregated data analysis.

Conclusions:

• Balancing standardization and tailoring of methods across trials is crucial for effective process evaluation.
• The findings will inform future implementation strategies in chronic disease care.