Navigating Complexity: Lessons Learned from Co-Designing a Care Transition Intervention for People with Stroke

Area of Science:

• Healthcare research
• Complex interventions
• Integrated care

Background:

• This study details the development of the Missing Link project, a care transition intervention for stroke survivors moving from hospital to home.
• The intervention was designed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework, incorporating contextual studies, co-design workshops, and prototype development.

Observation:

• Challenges arose in understanding emergent properties within complex adaptive systems.
• Sustained involvement of healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers was not achieved, potentially leading to divergent interpretations of project emergence.

Findings:

• Developing complex interventions necessitates participatory, emergent, and reflective strategies.
• The Medical Research Council (MRC) Framework offers guidance but may not fully encompass the dynamic nature of complex adaptive systems.

Implications:

• Investing in relationship building, interaction, and feedback is vital for successful complex intervention development.
• Future research should explore adaptive frameworks that better capture emergence and self-organisation in healthcare interventions.