Assessing stakeholder readiness for implementation of a diabetes prevention programme for patients with recent...

Implementing guideline-based diabetes prevention programs (DPPs) for women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is critical, given the global rise in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and the established association between GDM and subsequent diabetes risk. Implementing new healthcare programs, however, is inherently challenging, as success depends on the engagement and commitment of frontline providers. Determining stakeholders' readiness for change was therefore critical before implementing a postpartum DPP for patients with recent GDM.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of healthcare providers across three DPP implementation settings in Ontario, Canada. Survey measures included the Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC) scale and a measure assessing constructs from the inner setting domain of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Due to our low sample size, we analyzed results descriptively.

We surveyed 36 stakeholders across three implementation settings. The ORIC scale and CFIR-based measurement tool scores were relatively high (greater than 4.00 out of 5.00) across most participants. Scores were similar across service types and professional roles.

Stakeholders across three settings appear ready to implement a postpartum DPP for patients with GDM. Although those from an integrated care setting tended toward higher readiness based on change efficacy and commitment, the results of the CFIR-based measurement tool underscore the importance of using tailored approaches when implementing programs in community-based settings with lower resources.